Medicinals

tōng cǎo / 通草 / 通草 / rice-paper plant pith;

Latin pharmacognostic name: Tetrapanacis Medulla

Alternate English names: tetrapanax pith

Alternate Chinese names: 通花 tōng huā; 大通草 dà tōng cǎo; 白通草 bái tōng cǎo; 大木通 dà mù tōng tōng; 五角加皮 wǔ jiǎo jiā pí; 通花五加 tōng huā wǔ jiā; 葱草 cōng cǎo

Origin: Plant

Use: medicinal

Category: Water-disinhibiting dampness-percolating agents / Urine-disinhibiting strangury-freeing agents

Properties: Sweet, bland; slightly cold.

Channel entry: lung and stomach channels.

Indications:

  • Clears heat and disinhibits dampness: Damp-heat patterns of inhibited urination or rough painful dribbling urination.
  • Frees qì and promotes lactation: Postpartum breast milk stoppage or inhibited lactation.

Dosage & Method:

Oral: 2–5g in decoctions. Tōng cǎo is very light in weight.

Warning:

Use with care in pregnancy.

Quality:

Flexible white stems with a hollow center are best.

Product Area:

Guìzhōu, Yúnnán, Táiwān, Sìchuān, Jiāngxī.

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