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Ephedra (Mahuang)
Pharmaceutical
Name : Herba Ephedrae
Botanical Name : 1. Ephedra sinica Stapf;
2. Ephedra equisetina Bunge; 3. Ephedra intermedia
Schrenk et Mey.
Common Name : Ephedra, Ephedra Mormon tea
Source of Earliest Record : Shennong Bencao
Jing
Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical
Preparations : Herbaceous twigs or stems are
collected from the Beginning of Autumn (thirteenth
solar term) to Frost's Descent (eighteenth
solar term), dried in a shady place and then
cut into pieces and used either raw or baked
with honey.
Properties & Taste : Pungent-spicy,
bitter and warm
Meridians : Lung and urinary bladder
Functions:
1. To promote diaphoresis;
2. To pacify asthma;
3. To benefit urination
Indications & Combinations:
1. Wind-cold type of exterior syndrome manifested
as chills, fever, headache, general pain,
nasal obstruction, absence of sweating, thin
and white tongue coating and superficial and
tense pulse. In such cases, Ephedra (Mahuang)
is used with Cinnamon twigs (Guizhi) in the
formula Mahuang Tang.
2. Cough and asthma due to invasion by exogenous
wind and cold. Ephedra (Mahuang) is used with
Apricot seed (Xingren) in the formula Sanniu
Tang.
3. Edema with exterior syndrome. This disease
in traditional Chinese medicine is similar
to acute nephritic edema in Western medicine.
Ephedra (Mahuang) is used with Gypsum (Shigao)
in the formula Yuepi Tang.
Dosage: 1.5-10 g
Cautions & Contraindications: This herb
causes heavy sweating. It should be used cautiously
in deficiency conditions with sweating or
asthma and cough due to failure of the kidneys
in receiving qi. |
