The medicinal part of Chaihu is the dried root of the Umbelliferae plant Chaihu or Narrowleaf Chaihu. It is a commonly used medicine for relieving surface symptoms and has the effects of relieving the exterior and dispersing liver yang. It is mainly used for symptoms such as cold and fever, alternating chills and fever, malaria, stagnant liver qi, chest and rib distension and pain, prolapse of the anus or uterus, and irregular menstruation. Now let's take a closer look at the efficacy of Chaihu.
1. Dispelling heat and reducing fever
Chaihu is commonly used to treat colds and fever and can be used together with Licorice, known as Chaihu San. This herb is particularly good at dispelling half-exterior and half-interior pathogenic factors and is an essential medicine for treating Shaoyang syndrome. It is used to treat Shaoyang syndrome caused by pathogenic factors invading the Shaoyang meridian, with symptoms such as alternating chills and fever, chest and rib fullness, bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, and dizziness. It is often combined with Huangqin and Banxia, such as Xiaochaihu Tang.
2. Harmonizing the Shaoyang meridian
Chaihu has a bitter and cool nature and enters the Shaoyang meridian. "Shennong Bencao Jing" says, "It treats cold and heat pathogenic factors." "Zhenzhu Nang" states, "If the cold and heat symptoms are not relieved, Chaihu is indispensable." "Bencao Jing Shu" also states, "Chaihu is a surface medicine for the Shaoyang meridian." The Shaoyang meridian runs half on the surface and half inside the body. When the Shaoyang meridian is affected by pathogenic factors, it can cause coldness when combined with yin and heat when combined with yang. Chaihu is a specific herb for treating Shaoyang syndrome. It has a light and clear nature and the mildest bitter taste, which can expel the external pathogenic factors half on the surface and half inside the body. Therefore, it has the effect of harmonizing the Shaoyang meridian.
3. Soothing the liver and relieving depression
Chaihu has a bitter and cool taste and enters the liver meridian. "Sisheng Bencao" says, "It treats phlegm and fullness in the chest and ribs." "Dian Nan Bencao" states, "It eliminates the reverse obstruction of the liver meridian, stops the liver qi spasm in the left ribs, and treats women's blood heat and excessive menstruation, and can regulate menstruation." "Yao Pin Hua Yi" says, "With a slightly bitter taste, it soothes the liver." Therefore, Chaihu can regulate liver qi and relieve liver depression. It can be used to treat depression syndrome, irregular menstruation, and heat entering the blood chamber.
If there is liver qi stagnation and rib pain, it can be used together with Xiangfu and Zhike, such as Chaihu Shugan San. It is used to treat liver depression and blood deficiency causing rib pain, irregular menstruation, and other symptoms. It is often used together with Danggui and Baishao, such as Xiaoyao San.
4. Soothing the liver and harmonizing the stomach
Chaihu has a bitter and spicy cool nature and enters the liver and gallbladder meridians and the three burners. "Shennong Bencao Jing" states, "It treats Qi stagnation in the heart, abdomen, intestines, and stomach, and accumulation of food and drink." Li Gao says, "Chaihu clears liver fire." Therefore, it has the effect of soothing the liver and harmonizing the stomach. It is often used for Qi stagnation in the heart and abdomen, accumulation of food and drink, promoting the elimination of old waste, and relieving rib pain and abdominal distension.
5. Ascending yang and lifting sinking
Chaihu has a light and clear nature, mainly ascending and dispersing. "Bencao Gangmu" states, "It treats sinking of yang qi." "Bencao Zhengyi" also states, "In general, Chaihu treats; if there is deficiency, it lifts the sinking of clear qi in the yang division, raises it, and restores other organs, making the middle qi vigorous." Therefore, it has the effect of ascending yang and lifting sinking. It is used to treat sinking of the middle qi, long-term diarrhea and prolapse of the anus or uterus. It is often used together with Huangqi and Renshen, such as Buzhong Yiqi Tang.
6. Clearing and draining excessive fire
Chaihu has a bitter and cool nature, which enables it to clear heat and drain fire. It enters the liver and gallbladder meridians and the three burners, so it can clear and drain excessive fire. It is often used for symptoms such as headache, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, and deafness.
7. Dispelling wind and eliminating dampness
Chaihu is a wind medicine, and wind is the root of all diseases. When wind is dispelled, dampness is eliminated. "Mingyi Bie Lu" states, "It eliminates dampness and spasm." Therefore, it has the effect of dispelling wind and eliminating dampness. If there are symptoms such as heaviness in the limbs, stubborn numbness of the skin, or joint pain that is fixed and worsens in rainy weather, it indicates wind-cold-dampness pathogen invading the limbs and meridians, with dampness as the predominant factor. Chaihu can be selected to dispel wind, which is more effective than eliminating dampness and relieving pain.
