Stemona root (Baibu)

Pharmaceutical Name : Radix Stemonae

Botanical Name : 1. Stemona sessilifolia Miq.; 2. Stemona japonica (Bl.) Miq.; 3. Stemona tuberosa Lour.

Common Name : Stemona root

Source of Earliest Record : Mingyi Bielu

Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations : The roots are dug in spring or autumn. After the fibrous roots have been removed, the roots are cleaned and put into boiling water. Then they are dried in the sun and cut into pieces.

Properties & Taste : Sweet, bitter and neutral

Meridian : Lung

Functions:
1. To moisten the lungs and stop cough;
2. To kill lice and parasites

Indications & Combinations:

1. Cough in common cold. Stemona root (Baibu) is used with Schizonepeta (Jingjie), Platycodon root (Jiegeng) and Aster root (Ziwan).

2. Whooping cough. Stemona root (Baibu) is used with Glehnia root (Beishashen), Tendrilled fritillary bulb (Chuanbeimu) and Swallowwort rhizome (Baiqian).

3. Cough due to tuberculosis. Stemona root (Baibu) is used with Ophiopogon root (Maidong) and Fresh rehmannia root (Shengdihuang).

4. Lice of the head or body. The herb is made into a 20% tincture, or a 50% decoction used as an external wash.

5. Pinworm. The 30-ml 100% decoction as an enema before sleep, daily for five days.

Dosage: 5-10 g