Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula)
Tonifies the Middle and Benefits Qi
Stops Thirst and Generates Fluids
Contraindicated in cases of Excess Evil
Dang Shen, a name in traditional Chinese medicine, has effects similar to those of ginseng, but its potency is weaker. It is used to treat general deficiency syndromes and can replace ginseng; however, for severe deficiency, ginseng is preferred. It is harvested in autumn, cleaned, and dried.
Name: Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula)
Pinyin: DANG SHEN
Alias: Dong Dang, Tai Dang, Lu Dang, Kou Dang
Medicinal Part: Dried root
Properties: Sweet in flavor, neutral in nature; enters the Spleen, Lung, and Kidney meridians
Preparation Methods:
1. Dang Shen: Take the raw herb, remove the fibrous roots and impurities, wash, soak, cut into thick slices, and dry.
2. Rice Dang Shen: Place clean rice in a pot, heat over low flame, sprinkle a little water until the rice sticks to the pot, when smoke appears, add Dang Shen slices, stir-fry gently until the rice turns a golden yellow, then remove and cool, sifting out the burnt rice. For every 100 kg of Dang Shen slices, use 20 kg of rice.
3. Honey Dang Shen: Dilute an appropriate amount of honey with hot water, mix with Dang Shen slices, let it soak, then stir-fry in a pot over low heat until the surface turns yellow-brown and is not sticky, then remove and cool. For every 100 kg of Dang Shen slices, use 20 kg of honey.
4. Soil-fried Dang Shen: First, fry the heart soil powder in a pot until loose, then add Dang Shen slices, stir-fry over medium heat until the surface turns soil yellow, and the aroma of Dang Shen is released, then remove, sift out the soil powder, and cool. For every 100 kg of Dang Shen slices, use 25 kg of heart soil.
5. Bran-fried Dang Shen: Heat the pot with high flame, sprinkle in bran, when smoke appears, add Dang Shen slices, stir-fry until the surface is slightly yellow, then remove, sift out the bran, and cool. For every 100 kg of Dang Shen, use 20 kg of bran.
6. Wine Dang Shen: Mix Dang Shen with rice wine, let it sit for 1 hour, then stir-fry in a pot over low heat until dry, for every 100 kg of Dang Shen slices, use 12 kg of rice wine.
Precautions:
1. Slices of yam should be cut in spring or autumn, and during the water treatment process, prevent stickiness and spoilage; slices should be dried promptly after cutting.
2. The soil will gradually change color after heating, so when the soil for frying yam appears slightly black, replace it with new soil to maintain the aesthetic quality of the herb.
Dosage: Decoction, 10-30g.
Functions and Indications: Tonifies the Middle and benefits Qi, stops thirst, strengthens the Spleen and benefits the Lung, nourishes blood and generates fluids. Used for Spleen and Lung Qi deficiency, poor appetite, fatigue, cough with shortness of breath, insufficient Qi and blood, pale complexion, palpitations, shortness of breath, fluid damage leading to thirst, internal heat causing thirst, lack of speech and shortness of breath, weakness in limbs, poor appetite, Qi deficiency, both Qi and fluid deficiency, dual deficiency of Qi and blood, and blood deficiency leading to pallor.
Related Combinations:
1. For Spleen and Stomach weakness with lack of appetite: 1 liang of yam and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala), 3 fen of ginseng. Grind these three ingredients into a fine powder, make into pills the size of small beans, take 30 pills with warm rice drink before meals. (From “Sheng Ji Zong Lu” Yam Pills)
2. For damp-heat deficiency diarrhea: equal parts of yam and Cang Zhu (Atractylodes lancea), make into pills, take with rice drink. (From “Bin Hu Jing Yan Fang”)
3. For dysentery with locked mouth: half dry yam fried to yellow, half raw, grind into fine powder, take with rice drink. (From “Bai Yi Xuan Fang”)
4. For abdominal distension and cold extremities, or vomiting after consuming bitter and cold substances, or nausea at the sight of food, indicating Spleen and Stomach weakness: use yam, cut into small bean-sized pieces, half fried hot, half raw, grind into powder, take with rice drink. (From “Pu Ji Fang”)
5. For deficiency cold in the lower jiao with frequent urination, weakness and weight loss: grind yam finely in a sand basin, add a large spoon of wine, heat until fragrant, then add a cup of wine, stir well, take on an empty stomach every morning. (From “Sheng Hui Fang”)
6. For dizziness and wind disorders, benefits essence and marrow, strengthens Spleen and Stomach: yam powder, brewed with rice wine; or combined with Shan Zhu Yu (Cornus officinalis), Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra chinensis), and ginseng, soak in wine and drink. (From “Gang Mu” Yam Wine)
7. For frequent and uncontrollable urination: Bai Fu Ling (Poria cocos, peeled), dry yam (peeled, soaked in alum water, then dried). Mix these two ingredients in equal parts, grind into fine powder, take with thin rice drink. (From “Ru Men Shi Qin”)
8. For phlegm and wheezing: mash half a bowl of yam, mix with half a bowl of sugarcane juice, stir well, and drink warm. (From “Jian Bian Dan Fang”)
9. For swelling and toxins: yam, castor seeds, and glutinous rice, soak in water and grind into a paste, apply to the swollen area. (From “Pu Ji Fang”)
10. For cervical tuberculosis or red, swollen, hard pain: one piece of fresh yam (peeled), two castor seeds. Grind and apply. (From “Jiu Ji Yi Fang”)
11. For lumps and pain in the breast that have persisted for a long time and are hard and unhealed: fresh yam mixed with Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong) and powdered sugar, grind and apply to the affected area. After application, there may be intense itching, but it will gradually subside. (From “Ben Jing Feng Yuan”)
12. For frostbite: a small amount of yam, ground on a new tile into a paste, apply to the sore. (From “Ru Men Shi Qin”)
Precautions: Avoid use in cases of unresolved exterior syndrome with internal fullness and excess evil.
Herb Characteristics
The hairy yam is slightly cylindrical, curved and slightly flattened, 15-30 cm long, with a diameter of 1.5-6 cm. The surface is yellow-white or light yellow, with longitudinal grooves, wrinkles, and root marks, occasionally with remnants of light brown skin. It is heavy, firm, not easily broken, with a white, powdery cross-section. It has a faint aroma, a bland, slightly sour taste, and is sticky when chewed.
Yam slices are irregular thick slices, wrinkled and uneven, with a white or yellow-white cross-section, firm and brittle, powdery. It has a faint aroma, a bland, slightly sour taste.
Light yam is cylindrical, with flat ends, 9-18 cm long, with a diameter of 1.5-3 cm. The surface is smooth, white or yellow-white.
Related Discussions
1. “Ben Cao Cong Xin”: Tonifies the Middle and benefits Qi, harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach, and alleviates thirst. For mild deficiency of Middle Qi, it is very safe to use.
2. “Ben Cao Zheng Yi”: Tonifies the Spleen, nourishes the Stomach, moistens the Lung, generates fluids, and strengthens Middle Qi; it is not much different from ginseng.
3. “Gang Mu Shi Yi”: Treats Lung deficiency and can benefit Lung Qi.
4. “Yao Xing Ji Yao”: Can tonify the Spleen and Lung, benefit Qi, and generate fluids.
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