Medicinals
lí lú / 藜芦 / 藜蘆 / veratrum [root];
Latin pharmacognostic name: Veratri Nigri Radix et Rhizoma
Alternate English names: black false hellebore
Alternate Chinese names:
Origin: Plant
Use: medicinal
Category: Ejection agents
Properties: Bitter, acrid; cold; toxic.
Channel entry: lung, stomach, and liver channels.
Indications:
- Ejects wind-phlegm: Wind stroke; epilepsy; throat impediment.
- Kills worms and treats lichen:
Scab and lichen; bald white scalp sores. - Additional uses: Lí lú kills mosquitoes and flies and their larvae, so it can be used to make insecticides.
Dosage & Method:
Oral: 0.3–0.9 gr, used in pills and powders. Grind it to a powder and blend it with oil for topical application.
Warning:
Lí lú is toxic and should be used with care. It is contraindicated in qì vacuity and weak health, after blood loss, and in pregnancy. Lí lú clashes with rén shēn (Ginseng Radix), shā shēn (Adenophorae seu Glehniae Radix), dān shēn (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix), xuán shēn (Scrophulariae Radix), bái sháo (Paeoniae Radix Alba), chì sháo (Paeoniae Radix Rubra), and xì xīn (Asari Herba). If its use results in incessant vomiting, a decoction of cōng bái (Allii Fistulosi Bulbus) should be taken.
Quality:
Firm thick roots that are farinaceous on the cross section.
Product Area:
Most parts of China, especially Liáoníng, Shānxī, and Sìchuān.