Medicinals

wū yào / 乌药 / 烏藥 / lindera [root]

Latin pharmacognostic name: Linderae Radix

Alternate English names:

Alternate Chinese names: 天台乌药 tiān tái wū yào; 台乌 tái wū; 台乌药 tāi wū yào

Origin: Plant

Use: medicinal

Category: Qì-rectifying agents

Properties: Acrid; warm.

Channel entry: lung, spleen, kidney, bladder channels.

Indications:

Dosage & Method:

Oral: 3–10g in decoctions.

Warning:

Unsuitable for dual vacuity of qì and blood with internal heat because of its acrid, warm, and drying properties.

Product Description:

This root is cylindrical or spindle-shaped and slightly contorted, with scant bulging nodes. It is 6–15 cm long and 0.5–2.5 cm thick. Its exterior surface is a yellowish, reddish or blackish brown, with fine wrinkles and the scars of removed roots. It bears annular fissures, and the skin often peels away to reveal a fibrous woody interior. This root is hard and does not break easily. It is cut into oblique slices, the cut edge of which is pale yellow in color, with clearly observable medullary rays and annual rings.

Quality:

The roots should be soft and farinaceous and should be light brown on the cross cut. The best quality is said to come from Tiāntái in Zhèjiāng Province and is often specified.

Product Area:

Mainly produced in Zhèjiāng, Húnán, ānhuī, Guǎngdōng and Guǎngxī.

Etymology:

The name wū yào 乌药, ""black medicine,"" reflects the color of this agent.

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