Ricepaper
pith (Tongcao)
Pharmaceutical Name : Medulla tetrapanacis
Botanical Name : Tetrapanax papyriferus
(Hook.) K. Koch
Common Name : Ricepaper pith
Source of Earliest Record : Bencao Shiyi
Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical
Preparations : The stems are gathered in autumn,
cut into pieces and the bark is removed. The
stems are dried in the sun and cut into thin
slices.
Properties & Taste : Sweet or no taste
and slightly cold
Meridians: Lung and stomach
Functions :
1. To clear heat and promote water metabolism;
2. To promote lactation
Indications & Combinations:
1. Damp-heat in the urinary bladder manifested
as dysuria, painful urination, frequent urination
and urgency of micturition. Ricepaper pith
(Tongcao) is used with herbs that transform
damp and clear heat, such as Talc (Huashi)
and Plantain seed (Cheqianzi).
2. Insufficient lactation. Ricepaper pith
(Tongcao) is used with Vaccaria seed (Wangbuliuxing)
and Pangolin scales (Chuanshanjia), or Ricepaper
pith (Tongcao) is cooked with pig's feet.
Dosage: 2-5 g
Cautions & Contraindications:
This herb should be used with caution during
pregnancy. |
