WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

It is the pollen of Typha angustifolia L., Typha orientalis Presl, or other species of the same genus, family Typhaceae. The yellow male inflorescence of cattail's spike is collected during summer. It is then dried in the sunshine, and ground, then the fine powder is sieved. The raw or the stir-baked form can be used as a medicine.

[ Medicinal Properties ]: Sweet and neutral; relate to liver and pericardium meridians.

[ Medicial Efficacies ]: Stop bleeding and remove blood stasis; promote diuresis.

[ Clinical Applications ]: 1. Bleeding       The raw can stop bleeding and meanwhile promote circulation of the blood and remove blood-stasis, while the stir-baked can stop bleeding with the astringent action, for which it could be used to treat all interior and exterior bleeding conditions, whether the syndromes are due to cold or heat, with or without blood-stasis. It can be used alone or together with hemostatic medicinal to enhance the effect, e.g. for excessive menstruation, metrostaxis, it is combined with Longgu, Aiye, such as in Puhuang Pill; for hematuria, combined with Yujin; for bleeding due to trauma, alone for external application.

2. Blood-stasis causing pain      It can be used for variou forms of pain due to blood stasis, including injuries from falls, postpartum abdominal pain, angina pectoris and especially for dysmenorrheal, for which it is often combined with Wulingzhi, such as in the Shixiao Powder.

3. Blood stranguria      Used raw, it has the efficacy of relieving stranguria, for which it could be used for stranguria complicated by hematuria, combined with Dongkuizi, Shengdihuang, such as in Puhuang Powder.

[ Usage and Dosage ]: 5-9g. Wrapped and decocted.

[ Precautions ]: It can contract the womb and is contraindicated in pregant women.

[ Medicinal Comparison ]: Similarities: Sanqi , Puhuang and Qiancao all have the efficacy of removing stasis and stopping bleeding  and all can be used for various internal and external bleeding and stagnant blood syndromes.

Differences: Sanqi and Puhuang both have the actions of circulationg blood and alleviating pain, only that the action of Sanqi is stronger, and for which it is the primary medicinal for wounds. It could be taken orally or applied externally. Puhang also has the action of promoting diuresis, and is better for hematuria and blood stranguria; in addition, the carbonized is often used for metrorrhagia and metrostaxis and postpartum bleeding caused by abnormal uterine contraction, for it has the action of stopping bleeding by astringing. Qiancao is especially used for bleeding due to blood-heat and blood-stasis, for it could clear alway the heat and cool the blood.

蒲黄为香蒲科植物水烛香蒲Typha angustifolia L.、东方香蒲T. orientalis Presl或同属植物的干燥花粉。主产于浙江、江苏、安徽、湖北、山东等地。夏季采收蒲棒上部的黄色雄性花序，晒干后碾轧，筛取细粉，生用或炒用。