WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

This medicial is the dried root of Discacus aspercides C.Y.Cheng et T.M.Ai(Fam. Dipsacaceae). Those produced in Sichuan province are of the best quality. It is excavated in autumn. After removal of its root heads ad fibers, it is baked to half-dried on mild fire and piled for sweating out. Then it is dried completely and sliced for use.

[ Medicinal Properties]: Bitter ,pungent, slightly warm; relate to liver and kidney meridians.

[ Medicinal Efficacies ]: Tonify kidney and liver; strengthen tendons and bones; heal bone fracture; stop metrorrhagia and metrostaxis.

[ Clinical Applications ]: 1. Impotence, spermatorrhea and enuresis     It treats insufficiency of kidney yang, manifesting as impotence, spermatorrhea and enuresis in combination with Lurong and Roucongrong.

2. Soreness in knees and lumbus, arthralgia due to cold-dampness      To treat soreness in knees and lumbus due to the insufficiency of liver and kidney, it is used in combination with Bixie and Duzhong, as in the Xuduan Pills. To treat that complicated by arthralgia due to cold-dampness, it is combined with Fangfeng and Chuanwu.

3. Injuries from falls, soft tissue injuries and bone fracture      In this case, it is used incombination with Taoren, Honghua and Chuanshanjia.

4. Metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, threatened abortion     For severe metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, it is used in combination with carbonized Cebai and Danggui; for threatened abortion, it is combined with Sangjisheng and Ejiao, as in the Shoutai Pills.

Furthermore, it has the function of activating blood, dispelling swelling and stopping pain and treats acute mastitis in combination with Pugongying.

[ Usage and Dosage ]: 9-15g. It is also processed into pills or powder. The appropriate amount for external application in the form of powder. It is utilized in its stir-baked form for metrorrhagia and metrostaxis.

[ Precautions ]: It is contraindecated in patients with arthralgia due to wind-dampness-heat.

[ Medicinal Comparison ]: Similarities: Both Duzhong and Xuduan have similar functions of tonifying the liver andkidney, strengthening bones and tendons, preventing abortion and treat the insufficiency of liver and kidney manifesting as soreness in knees and lumbus, threatened abortion and kidney deficiency manifesting as impotence, spermatorrhea and frequent urination.

Differences: Duzhong is good at tonifying kidney and treats lumbago due to kidney deficiency and lumbago with cold sensation due to wind-dampness. Xuduan, with the additional functions of activating blood, stopping bleeding and healing bone fracture, is usually used to treat metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, injuries from falls and soft tissue injuries and bone fracture.

续断为川续断科植物川续断Dipsacus aspercides C.Y.Cheng et T.M.Ai的干燥根。主产于四川、湖北、湖南、贵州等地。云南、陕西等地亦产。以四川、湖北产的质量较佳。野生栽培均有。秋季采挖，除去根头及须根，用微火烘至半干堆置“发汗”后再烘干，切片用。