Wiseman’s Chinese Medical Database

xī hé liǔ / 西河柳 / 西河柳 / tamarisk [twig and leaf]

Latin pharmacognostic name: Tamaricis Cacumen

Alternate English names:

Alternate Chinese names: 赤柽柳 chì chēng liǔ; 观音柳 guān yīn liǔ; 垂丝柳 chuí sī liǔ

Origin: Plant

Use: medicinal

Category: Exterior-resolving agents / Warm acrid exterior-resolving agents

Properties: Sweet and salty; balanced; nontoxic*.

Channel entry: lung, stomach, and heart channels.

Indications:

• Effuses the exterior and outthrusts papules: Difficult eruption of measles; wind papules with itching.
• Dispels wind and eliminates dampness: wind-damp impediment (fēng shī bì) pain.

  Dosage & Method:

  Oral: Decoct (30–60g); grind to a powder. Topical: Decoct as a wash.

  Warning:

  Contraindicated in already erupted measles and general vacuity with copious sweating.

  Quality:

  Large undamaged leaves are best.

  Product Area:

  Guǎngdōng.