Zi Su Ye

Botanical Name: Perilliae Folium

Zi Su Ye

Category: Warm, Acrid, Release the Exterior

Dosage: 5-9g

Cautions & Contraindications:

• Contraindicated in those with warm pathogen disease, or with qi and exterior deficiency

Actions & Indications:

Zi Su Ye

• Releases the exterior and disperses cold: for externally contracted wind-cold with such symptoms as fever, chills, headache, nasal congestion, cough, or stifling sensation in the chest, as in Xing Su San and Xiang Su San.
• Promotes the movement of qi and expands the chest: for nausea, vomiting, or poor appetite, as in Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San. Also used as an auxilary herb to invigorate the blood.
• Use during pregnancy: for calming a restless fetus, or for morning sickness.
• Resolves seafood poisoning: used either alone or with other herbs.

Combinations:

• Huo Xiang
• Xing Ren: cough
• Sha Ren, Chen Pi: restless fetus caused by stagnant qi.
• Sheng Jiang: nausea & vomiting, especially due to seafood poisoning.
• Huang Lian: for morning sickness and irritability during pregnancy, or whenever middle Jiao stagnation tends toward heat.

Formulas:

• Huo Xiang Chen Qi Tang: for ‘tourista’
• Xing Su San
• Xiang Su San

Commentary:

• Directs the Qi downwards and vents the Lung qi to treat cough.
• Not to be used for vomiting due to heat.