Medicinals
shēn jīn cǎo / 伸筋草 / 伸筋草 / ground pine;
Latin pharmacognostic name: Lycopodii Herba
Alternate English names: staghorn moss
Alternate Chinese names:
Origin: Plant
Use: medicinal
Category: Wind-damp–dispelling agents / Wind-cold-damp–dispelling agents
Properties: Bitter, acrid; warm.
Channel entry: liver, spleen, and kidney channels.
Indications:
Dispels wind-damp, soothes the sinews, and quickens the network vessels: Wind-damp impediment pain, aching pain in the limbs and joints, inhibited bending and stretching; numbness and tingling of the skin;
Dosage & Method:
Oral: 10–15g, in decoctions or steeped in liquor.
Warning:
Shēn jīn cǎo is sometimes said to quicken the blood; use it with care in pregnancy.
Quality:
yellowish-green plants with long stems are best.
Product Area:
Eastern, southern, and south-western China, and Manchuria.