Botanical Name: Plantaginis Semen
Che Qian Zi
Category: Drain Dampness
Taste: Sweet
Temperature: Cold
Channels Entered: Lung, Bladder, Kidney, Liver
Dosage: 9-15g
Cautions & Contraindications:
- Use with caution during pregnancy.
- Caution in those with loss of essence due to Kidney deficiency, unless combined with complementary herbs that secure the Kidneys.
- May increase the effects of diuretic drugs or decrease the absorption of some pharmaceutical drugs.
Actions & Indications:
- Promotes urination and clears damp-heat: for any type of edema or painful urinary dribbling due to damp-heat. Generally used for damp-heat pouring into the lower burner.
- Promotes urination to solidify the stool: for diarrhea associated with either damp-heat or damp-summerheat.
- Clears the eyes: for eye problems associated with either Liver and Kidney deficiency (e.g., dry eyes or diminished visual acuity), or heat in the Liver channel (e.g., red, painful, swollen eyes and sensitivity to light), depending on the other herbs with which it is combined.
- Expels phlegm and stops cough: for Lung heat-induced cough with yellow, copious sputum.
