Blackberry lily rhizome (SHE GAN)-Belamcanda chinensis

Blackberry lily rhizome (SHE GAN)

Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. (Fam. Iridaceae)

Pharmaceutical Name:

Rhizoma Belamcandae

Botanical Name:

Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. (Fam. Iridaceae)

Common Name:

Blackberry lily rhizome

Part Used:

Rhizome

Rhizoma Belamcandae is produced chiefly in the provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, and Anhui. It is collected in autumn, dried in sunlight, and sliced after removal of the rootlets.

Properties  Taste & Meridians:

Bitter in flavor, cold in property, acts on the Lung channel.

Functions:

Removes Toxic Heat, eliminates Phlegm, and soothes sore throat.

Indications & Combinations:

1. For sore throat with a lot of phlegm due to Lung Heat, it is used alone or with Radix Scutellariae (Huang Qin), Radix Platycodi ( Jie Geng), and Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralensis (Gan Cao) or with Rhizoma Cimicifugae (Sheng Ma) and Lasiosphaera Seu Calvatia (Ma Bo).

2. For cough and dyspnea with copious expectoration due to accumulation of Toxic Heat, Phlegm, and Fire. For cough with a lot of phlegm, it is used with Cortex Mori (Sang Bai Pi), and Radix Platycodi (Jie Geng). For cough, and dyspnea with phlegm due to Lung Cold, it is used with Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens (Sheng Jiang), Herba Asari (Xi Xin), and Rhizoma Pinelliae (Ban Xia).

Dosage and administration:

6–10 g, decocted in water for an oral dose.

Precautions:

This herb is contraindicated during pregnancy.

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