Greenlife Chinese herb database - Rhizoma Pinelliae (Ban Xia)

Greenlife Chinese herb database - Rhizoma Pinelliae (Ban Xia)

English Name

Pinellia tuber

Chinese Name

Picture

Origin

Pinellia tuber is the dried tuber of Pinellia ternate (Thunb.) Breit. (Fam. Araceae).

Nature and Affinity

It is pungent in taste and warm in nature with slight toxic effect, and is distributed to the Spleen, Stomach and Lung Channels.

Main Active Ingredient

Precaution

Incompatible with Radix Aconiti and allied drugs.

Storage

Preserve in a ventilated and dry place, protected from moth.

	DESCRIPTION
	a
	ACTION
	To remove damp and phlegm, to relieve nausea and vomiting, and to eliminate stuffiness in the chest and the epigastrium.
	INDICATIONS
	Cough and asthma with much phlegm; dizziness and palpitation due to retention of phlegm and fluid; vertigo caused by wind-phlegm; headache with cold extremities due to attack of phlegm; stuffiness in the chest and the epigastrium; globus hystericus. Rhizoma Pineliae (processed with ginger) is often used for relieving nausea and vomiting, while Rhizoma Pinelliae (processed with alum) for removing damp and phlegm. Rhizoma Pinelliae (unprocessed) is used externally for boils, sores and lymphadenitis.
	REFERENTIAL ADVICE
	1.Eliminating dampness and resolving phlegm In treating cough with profuse thin sputum due to damp-phlegm or dizziness due to phlegm, the drug is often used in combination with Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Poria, etc. In treating vomitting due to wind-phlegm, headache and blurred vision, stuffy chest and poor appetite, the drug can be used in combination with Rhizoma Arisaematis, etc. 2.Sending down adverse flow of Qi to arrest vomitting In treating vomitting due to cold in the stomach or retention of phlegm, 15g of Rhizoma Pinelliae and 10g of Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens are prescribed. In treating vomitting due to phlegm-heat, the drug is often used in combination with Rhizoma Coptidis and Rhizoma Zingiberis. 3.Disintegrating masses This drug has the effect of disintegrating masses and resolving phlegm. In treating stuffy chest due to accumulation of phlegm heat, the drug can be used in combination with Rhizoma Coptidis, Semen Trichosanthis, etc. In treating stagnation of Qi and accumulation of phlegm , the drug can be used in combination with Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis, Folium Perillae, Poria, etc. In treating goiter and subcutaneous nodule, the drug can be used in combination with drug for softening and disintegrating hard masses such as Thallus Laminariae seu Ecklniae, Sargassum, Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii, etc. In treating carbuncle, phlegmon and swelling, the drug powder is mixed with egg white and applied to the local area.
	TIPS
	Pregnant women should use herb sparingly; the fresh herb is slightly toxic, but the dried is not; the toxin is neutralised with tea or vinegar.