Medicinals

qián hú / 前胡 / 前胡 / peucedanum [root]

Latin pharmacognostic name: Peucedani Radix

Alternate English names:

Alternate Chinese names: 岩风 yán fēng; 信前胡 xìn qián hú; 湔湖 jiān hú; 全胡 quán hú

Origin: Plant

Use: medicinal

Category: Phlegm-transforming cough-relieving panting-calming agents / Phlegm-transforming agents

Properties: Bitter, acrid; slightly cold.

Channel entry: lung channel.

Indications:

Dosage & Method:

Oral: 6–10g in decoctions. Processing it with honey reduces its cold nature and gives it a lung-moistening action. The honey-processed form is appropriate for patterns of lung vacuity enduring cough or patterns of dry cough with scant phlegm.

Product Description:

This is a spindle-shaped root, about 2–5 cm long, and 1–2 cm in diameter. The exterior surface is a blackish brown. At the top, it bears scars where the stem and leaf bases were removed, and on the head, it has dense annular wrinkles. There are longitudinal furrows, and the cork easily peels off. Lateral roots are more cylindrical in shape, springing from the main root at a wide angle. The decocting pieces are transverse or oblique slices about 1–2 mm thick. The cut surface is yellowish white to brown and shows cracks in the bark and annular markings in the wood. The medullary rays are more contorted in the bast.

Quality:

Dry roots with dark skin and pale flesh, and without fine roots are the best.

Product Area:

Zhèjiāng, ānhuī, Húnán, Yúnnán, Sìchuān.

Etymology:

The name qián hú 前胡, 前 meaning before or in front and 胡 meaning foreign, has no clear meaning. The original form jiān hú 湔湖 means ""purifying lake.""

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