Ma Huang, a traditional Chinese medicine, is well known for its good sweating and releasing exterior effects. It is mainly used to treat external wind-cold conditions. Although this herb has high medicinal value, it can also be harmful to the body if used improperly!
[Effects and Functions of Ma Huang]
1. Sweating and releasing exterior
Ma Huang is light and upward, warm and dispersing. It is good at promoting lung qi, opening the pores, dispersing wind and cold. It is often used for wind-cold conditions with exterior symptoms and no sweating.
2. Promoting lung function and relieving asthma
Ma Huang, being warm and pungent, enters the lung meridian, promotes smooth lung qi, and disperses lung cold. It is often used for wind-cold cough, asthma, and other conditions.
3. Diuresis and reducing swelling
Ma Huang, being warm and pungent, enters the lung and bladder meridians. The lungs are the source of water, and Ma Huang promotes descending lung qi, regulates the water pathways, and transports it to the bladder. Therefore, it has the efficacy of diuresis and reducing swelling.
[Precautions for Using Ma Huang]
1. Do not use excessive dosage
Ma Huang has a strong sweating effect. Excessive dosage may lead to excessive sweating. Therefore, it should be avoided or used with caution for those with mild wind-cold conditions, palpitations, insomnia, cough, and asthma.
2. Not suitable for those with deficiency sweating
Ma Huang has a strong dispersing effect and is used to treat exterior conditions. For those who often experience deficiency sweating or night sweats due to yin deficiency, taking Ma Huang may lead to even more sweating and further depletion of vital energy.
3. Do not combine with blood pressure-raising drugs
Some drugs contain ingredients that can increase blood pressure, while Ma Huang itself can also raise blood pressure. When these two are used together, the blood pressure-raising effects can add up, causing adverse reactions such as palpitations and sudden increase in blood pressure. In severe cases, it may even lead to hypertensive crisis.
