Radix Scrophulariae Ningpoensis Ningpo Figwort Root
Also known as Yuan Shen
Materia Medica Data
- Category
- Herbs that Cool the Blood
- Temperature
- Cold
- Nature & Flavour
- Salty, Sweet, Bitter, Cold
- Channels Entered
- KI, LU, ST
- Latin (pharmaceutical)
- Radix Scrophulariae Ningpoensis
- Chinese
- 玄参
- Tone Marks
- xuán shēn
- Also Known As
- Yuan Shen
- Translation
- Dark Root
Chinese Herb Actions
- Clears Heat, Cools the Blood, and Nourishes the Yin Use when heat has entered the Blood level causing fever, bleeding, dry mouth, and a red-purple tongue color. Also for Yin Deficiency heat, especially following a fever with dryness, constipation, irritability, and dry cough.
- Relieves Fire Toxicity and Inflammation For red or swollen eyes and severe sore throat.
- Resolves Nodules and Lumps For neck lumps, swollen tonsils, scrofula, and swollen throat from phlegm fire.
Chinese Herb Dosage
- 9-30 grams.
- Part used: root.
Chinese Herb Contraindications & Cautions
- Contraindicated in patients with diarrhea, or dampness in the spleen or stomach. This herb has been noted to antagonize Rhizoma Zingiberis Officinalis (gan jiang), Radix Astragali Membranacei (huang qi), Fructus Zizyphi Jujubae (da zao), Frucutus Corni Officinalis (shan zhu yu), and is incompatible with Rhizoma et Radix Veratri (li lu).
Herb-Drug Interactions
- May interfere with Anti-Diabetic drugs.
Chinese Herb Notes
- To benefit the yin, this herb is often dry-fried in salt.
This herb is incompatible with:
- Li Lu (Radix Et Rhizoma Veratri)
Sources & References
Compiled and edited by Thomas Dehli, Founder & Editor, Sacred Lotus
The information here is referenced from numerous sources — teachers, practitioners, class notes from Five Branches University, the books below, and the published research literature, with citations given as resolvable PubMed identifiers. Where sources disagree, I have flagged the discrepancies directly. If facts couldn't be verified, I have left them out. How we source our content.
Reference information for students and practitioners — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner. Terms of use.
Chinese Herbs Books & References
https://amzn.to/3WfB3DK
https://amzn.to/3DR1VUh
https://amzn.to/42aMz73
https://amzn.to/3PuD4bt