Medicinals
fēng mì / 蜂蜜 / 蜂蜜 / honey
Latin pharmacognostic name: Mel
Alternate English names:
Alternate Chinese names: 蜜 mì; 白蜜 bái mì; 沙蜜 shā mì; 蜜糖 mì táng; 石蜜 shí mì; 石饴 shí yí; 食蜜 shí mì; 白沙蜜 bái shā mì
Origin: Animal
Use: medicinal and alimentary
Category: Supplementing agents / Qì-supplementing agents
Properties: Sweet; balanced.
Channel entry: lung, spleen, and large intestine channels.
Indications:
- Supplements the center and relaxes tension: Center vacuity with pain in the stomach duct and abdomen.
- Moistens dryness: Lung vacuity dry cough and
intestinal dryness constipation. - Resolves toxin: Used to resolve the toxin from aconite (Aconitum).
Warning:
Fēng mì should be used with care in damp obstruction with center fullness, in stagnation of damp-heat and phlegm, and in sloppy stool or diarrhea. Some individuals are allergic to honey.
Product Area:
Mainly produced in Húběi, Sìchuān, Yúnnán, Hénán, Jiāngxī, Jiāngsū, Zhèjiāng, Guǎngdōng. Note that the Italian bee, Apis mellifera, has largely replaced the indigenous Apis cerana in commercial honey production.