Herb

Sophora flavescens root (Ku shen)

苦参ku shen
1 sourceRadix Sophorae Flavescentis

Clears heat and dries dampness, kills worms and relieves itch, and is recorded for jaundice, dysentery and toxic sores.

Source

Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷十三·草部·苦参·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》载苦参主心腹结气、癥瘕积聚、黄疸、溺有余沥、逐水、除痈肿、补中、明目止泪；《别录》养肝胆气、安五脏、平胃气、除伏热肠澼、止渴醒酒、疗恶疮下部䘌；甄权谓治热毒风、皮肌烦燥生疮、治腹中冷痛；大明谓杀疳虫、治肠风泻血并热痢。

Nature, flavor & meridians

Nature & flavor: 苦，寒，无毒（《本经》）；张元素谓气沉纯阴、足少阴肾经君药。·Meridians: 肾（足少阴）

Citations
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·山草类·苦参（《本经》中品）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·苦参·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·苦参·气味（《本经》）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·苦参·发明（元素·足少阴肾经君药）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·苦参·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·苦参·主治（《别录》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·苦参·主治（甄权）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·苦参·主治（大明·杀疳虫肠风泻血）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·苦参·气味（之才·反藜芦）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.
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