Medicinals

sū hé xiāng / 苏合香 / 蘇合香 / storax

Latin pharmacognostic name: Styrax

Alternate English names:

Alternate Chinese names: 苏合香油 sū hé xiāng yóu; 苏合油 sū hé yóu; 帝膏 dì gāo; 帝油流 dì yóu liú

Origin: Plant

Use: medicinal

Category: Orifice-opening agents

Properties: Acrid; warm.

Channel entry: heart and spleen channels.

Indications:

  • Opens the orifices and repels foulness: Cold block with clouded spirit.
  • Relieves pain: Cold pain with fullness and oppression in the chest and abdomen.
  • Modern applications: Sū hé xiāng is used to treat coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, and biliary ascariasis. It is used topically for frostbite.

Dosage & Method:

Oral: 0.3–1g; used in pills. It is not used in decoctions because it contains resins and oils that are insoluble in water. It cannot be used in powders because it is semiliquid.

Warning:

Sū hé xiāng is a warm opening medicinal most suited for treating cold block; it is Unsuitable for heat block or vacuity desertion patterns.

Quality:

Semi-translucent yellow resin with a strong aroma is best.

Product Area:

Africa and India.

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