Herb

Patchouli (Huo xiang)

藿香huo xiang
1 sourceHerba Pogostemonis

Transforms turbid dampness and harmonizes the stomach, dispels foul qi, and checks vomiting, especially in summerheat-damp.

Source

Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷十四·草部·芳草类·藿香·主治（《别录》）

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：《别录》载藿香主风水毒肿、去恶气、止霍乱心腹痛；苏颂谓脾胃吐逆为要药；张元素谓助胃气、开胃口、进饮食；王好古谓温中快气。

Nature, flavor & meridians

Nature & flavor: 辛，微温，无毒（《别录》）；张元素谓辛甘/甘苦、气厚味薄、浮而升、阳；李杲谓可升可降、阳，入手、足太阴经。·Meridians: 肺（手太阴）, 脾（足太阴）

Citations
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十四·草部·芳草类·藿香（条目标题·《别录》上品）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十四·草部·芳草类·藿香·释名Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its alternate names.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十四·草部·芳草类·藿香·气味（《别录》·元素·李杲）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十四·草部·芳草类·藿香·气味（李杲：入手、足太阴经）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its meridian tropism.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十四·草部·芳草类·藿香·主治（《别录》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十四·草部·芳草类·藿香·主治（元素）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十四·草部·芳草类·藿香·气味（《别录》辛微温无毒）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.