Ephedra is a common traditional Chinese medicine used for dispersing cold. It has good therapeutic effects in the treatment of many diseases, including sweating and dispersing cold, diuresis and reducing swelling. However, the following two types of people should use it with caution!
【Effects and Actions of Ephedra】
1. Dispelling wind and dispersing heat
If you experience symptoms such as sneezing and fever with nasal congestion, it indicates that you may have caught a cold with wind-cold symptoms. In this case, we need to use drugs that disperse wind and cold, and one of the main effects of ephedra is to disperse wind and cold. Therefore, taking ephedra decoction can help disperse wind and cold.
2. Suppressing cough and relieving asthma
Wind-cold colds generally cause coughing, so ephedra can also be used to treat coughing. In addition, if there are symptoms of asthma, medication is usually needed to relieve it, and taking ephedra decoction can help relieve asthma.
3. Diuresis and reducing swelling
Sometimes our bodies may experience edema that is difficult to eliminate. This is caused by excessive accumulation of water in the body that cannot be dispersed. Taking ephedra decoction can achieve the effect of diuresis and reducing swelling. Please consult a traditional Chinese medicine pharmacist for specific prescriptions.
【Compatibility and Usage of Ephedra】
1. With Cinnamon Twig
Cinnamon twig can compensate for the deficiency of ephedra. Ephedra disperses the pathogenic factors of the surface and the cinnamon twig regulates the qi of the surface. When cinnamon twig and ephedra are used together, excessive sweating can be prevented. This is the reason why the combination of ephedra and cinnamon twig is often used.
2. With Apricot Kernel
If someone catches a cold due to wind-cold throughout the year, resulting in blocked lung qi, cough with hoarseness, stuffy nose and chest fullness, or severe coughing with excessive phlegm, they can use San Ao Tang, which contains ephedra, to disperse the pathogenic factors in the lungs and achieve remarkable effects. If a child has a rash, it should be able to dispel pathogenic heat. By combining it with apricot kernel, it can promote sweating and clear the lungs, which is very effective.
3. With White Atractylodes
Ephedra can promote the circulation of lung qi and regulate water passages, while white atractylodes can dry dampness and promote the transportation function of the spleen. When these two herbs are used together, they can induce sweating and relieve the exterior, disperse cold and eliminate dampness. The prescription "Yue Bi Jia Zhu Tang" uses ephedra and white atractylodes to treat "annoying and painful body due to dampness".
【Precautions for Using Ephedra】
1. People with palpitations and insomnia
Ephedra itself is a very effective medicine for treating diseases and can help us solve various diseases. However, the most obvious effect of ephedra is sweating. Some people may sweat profusely immediately after taking Chinese medicine containing ephedra. Therefore, people with wind-cold and palpitations or insomnia should use it with caution, as it may worsen their condition.
2. People with weak lungs and cough
At the same time, when taking ephedra, people with qi deficiency and persistent cough should also be cautious. As an expelling medicine, ephedra has a purgative effect and can help us clear heat and reduce fire. However, if the patient has qi deficiency, they may not be able to withstand its medicinal power.
