Green tangerine peel (Qingpi)

Pharmaceutical Name : Pericarpium Citri reticulatae viride

Botanical Name: Citrus reticulata blanco

Common Name : Green tangerine peel

Source of Earliest Record : Bencao Tujing

Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations : When tangerines are still green in June or July, the green skins are removed, cleaned and dried in the sun.

Properties & Taste : Bitter, pungent and warm

Meridians: Liver, gall bladder and stomach

Functions:
1. To promote the free flow of qi in the liver;
2. To relieve retention of food and disperse stagnation

Indications & Combinations:
1. Stagnation of qi in the liver manifested as distension and pain in the breast and hypochondriac regions. Green tangerine peel (Qingpi) is used with Bupleurum root (Chaihu), Curcuma root (Yujin), Cyperus tuber (Xiangfu) and Green tangerine leaf (Qingjuye).

2. Mastitis. Green tangerine peel (Qingpi) is used with Trichosanthes fruit (Gualou), Dandelion herb (Pugongying), Honeysuckle flower (Jinyinhua) and Forsythia fruit (Lianqiao).

3. Cold stagnated in the liver meridian manifested as painful swelling of testicles or scrotum, or hernia. Green tangerine peel (Qingpi) is used with Lindera root (Wuyao), Fennel fruit (Xiaohuixiang) and Costus root (Muxiang) in the formula Tiantai Wuyao San.

4. Retention of food manifested as fullness, distension and pain in the epigastric region. Green tangerine peel (Qingpi) is used with Hawthorn fruit (Shanzha), Germinated barley (Maiya) and Medicated leaven (Shenqu) in the formula Qingpi Wan.

Dosage: 3-10 g