Botanical Name: Saposhnikoviae Radix
Category: Warm, Acrid Herbs that Release the Exterior
Fang Feng
Channels Entered: Bladder, Liver ,Spleen
Dosage: 4.5-9g
Cautions & Contraindications:
- Contraindicated with exuberant fire from yin deficiency, spasms from blood deficiency, or in the absence of pathogenic wind, dampness, or cold.
Actions & Indications:
- Releases the exterior and expels wind: for headache, chills, and body aches due to externally-contracted wind- cold.
- Expels wind-dampness and alleviates pain: for exterior wind-damp painful obstruction, especially when wind dominates.
- Expels wind and relieves spasms: as an auxiliary herb to alleviate trembling of the hands and feet and tetany.
- Also for Intestinal wind due to imbalance between the Spleen and Liver manifested in recurrent, painful diarrhea with bright blood in the stool. Also for migraine headaches.
Combinations:
Fang Feng
- Zi Su Ye: very common combination for external wind.
- Chuan Xiong: spasms and convulsions.
- Mu Xiang: to calm digestion.
Notes:
- This herb is very effective, but is not drying. It disperses more strongly than it warms, and can be used both in conditions of wind-heat and wind-cold, especially with body aches.
- Treats wind and cold in the muscles layer and joints, for conditions of pain, such as arthritis, that are worse with cold, damp weather.
- Fang Feng is hemostatic when charred. Used for excessive menstrual bleeding.
- Can be used to detoxify the body from heavy metal poisoning.
