Herb

Bupleurum (Chai hu)

柴胡chai hu
1 sourceRadix Bupleuri

Harmonizes and releases the lesser yang to resolve alternating chills and fever, courses the liver and relieves constraint, and lifts the yang.

Used in 9 formulas

Source

Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷十三·草部·山草类下·茈胡·主治（《本经》）

References
  • functions_en self-translated from 本草纲目 traditional_functions (public domain; the Chinese tf carries verbatim excerpt_hash citations). No modern work consulted.
  • WHO IST-TCM terminology-aligned for the English rendering.
  • public pharmacopoeia & botanical facts (public-domain reference facts; no proprietary modern source).
Traditional functions

Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.

传统中医记载：《本经》载茈胡（柴胡）主心腹、去肠胃中结气、饮食积聚、寒热邪气、推陈致新，久服轻身明目益精；《别录》除伤寒心下烦热、诸痰热结实、胸中邪逆；李时珍谓平肝胆三焦包络相火、治寒热往来、妇人热入血室、诸疟。

Nature, flavor & meridians

Nature & flavor: 苦，平，无毒（《本经》茈胡）；《别录》谓微寒；李杲谓阴中之阳，手足少阳厥阴四经引经药。·Meridians: 胆·三焦（手足少阳）, 肝·心包（厥阴）

Used in formulas
Citations
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·山草类下·茈胡（条目标题·《本经》上品）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·山草类下·茈胡·释名Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its alternate names.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·山草类下·茈胡·气味（《本经》《别录》李杲）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·山草类下·茈胡·气味（李杲：手足少阳厥阴四经引经药）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its meridian tropism.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·山草类下·茈胡·主治（《本经》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·山草类下·茈胡·主治（时珍）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·山草类下·茈胡·气味（之才·为使恶畏）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.