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Anemarrhena [root]
知母 〔知母〕zhī mǔ
Latin pharmacognostic name: Anemarrhenae Rhizoma
Alternate Chinese names: 蚳母 chí mǔ; 母 qí mǔ; 提母 tí mǔ; 连母 lián mǔ; 知母肉 zhī mǔ ròu; 砥母 tǐ mǔ
Kingdom: Plant
Origin in PRC Pharmacopoeia: Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bge. (PRC Pharmacopoeia)
Origin (other sources): Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bge.
Use: Medicinal
Category: Heat-clearing agents / Heat-clearing fire-draining agents
Properties: Bitter, sweet; cold.
Channel entry: Lung, stomach, and kidney channels.
Indications:
- Clears heat and drains fire: Febrile disease with
vigorous heat effusion , heart vexation, and thirst; lung heat cough. - Enriches yīn and moistens dryness: Yīn vacuity dry cough;
steaming bone tidal heat effusion ; yīn vacuity dispersion-thirst;intestinal dryness with constipation.
Dosage & Method: Oral: 6–12g in decoction. Use raw to clear heat and drain fire; use processed with brine to enrich yīn and downbear fire.
Warnings: Being a cold and moistening substance that lubicrates the intestines, it is unsuitable for spleen vacuity with sloppy stool.
Product Description: This is a flat contorted ribbon-like rhizome 0.8–1.5 cm in diameter, with roots branching from it.
Quality: Smooth large fat rhizomes that are pale yellow on the inside and that have little hair are the best.
Product Area: Héběi, Shānxī, Inner Mongolia, Gānsū, Shǎnxī (Shaanxi), and Manchuria.
Etymology: The name zhī mǔ 知母, literally knowledge mother,
is allegedly a corruption of chí mǔ 蚳母, literally scorpion mother,
so named by analogy of form.