WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

The source is from the flower bud of Daphne genkwa Sieb.et Zucc., family Thymelaeaceae. It is collected before bloom in the spring and dried in the sun. The saw form or the one prepared with vinegar isused as a medicine.

[ Medicinal Properties ]: Bitter, pungent, warm, toxic; relate to lung, spleen and kidney meridians.

[ Medicinal Efficacies ]: Purge water and expel fluid; resolve phlegm to relieve cough; kill worms and treat pyocutaneous disease.

[ Usage and Dosage ]: Decoction 1.5-3g. For powder, 0.6g. It is prepared with vinegar and then pounded into powder for oral use, once a day.

[ Precautions ]: It is contraindicated in pregnant woen or the weak. It is incompatible with Gancao.

 

[ Clinical Applications]: 1. Fluid retention in the chest and hypochondrium, edema and tympanites        It has similar effect to Gansui and Jingdaji and it is good at purging fluid in the chest and hypochondrium and resolving phlegm to relieve cough. it is used usually together with Gansui and Jingdaji, such as in Shizao Decoction.

2. Cough and dyspnea due to phlegm     It can be decocted alone or together with Dazao. Powder prepared with vinegar, capsule prepared with benzene and pill prepared with water can be used to treat chronic bronchitis.

 

3. Eczema on the head, tinea tonsure, hard tinea and carbuncle        It can be pounded single into powder or used together with Xionghuang and are mixed with pork fat for external application.

 

[ Medicinal Comparison ]: Similarison: Gansui, Jingdaji and Yuanhua are all toxic and they all have drastic actions of purging water and expelling fluid. They are frequently used together to treat edema, tympanites and fluid retention in the chest and hypochondrium.

 

Differences: Gansui has the most drastic actions, Jingdaji is secondary and Yuanhua is the mildest one. It is traditionally known that Gansui is good at removing water-dampness in the meridians. Jingdaji is good at removing water-dampness in the viscera. Yuanhua is superior to expel fluid in the chest and hypochondrium, as well as , resolving the phlegm to stop cough. They are all incompatible with Gancao and prepared with vinegar for oral use, so as to reduce their toxincities.
芫花为瑞香科植物芫花Daphne genkwa Sieb.et Zucc.的干燥花蕾。主产于安徽、江苏、浙江、四川、山东等地。春季花未开放前采摘，晒干。生用或醋制用。