Herb

Akebia Stem (Mu tong)

木通mu tong
1 sourceCaulis Akebiae

Frees the orifices, channels and joints, drains heat through urination to relieve strangury, and promotes lactation.

Source

Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷十八·草部·通草·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》载通草除脾胃寒热、通利九窍血脉关节、令人不忘；《别录》治耳聋、散痈肿诸结不消、去三虫；甄权谓治五淋、利小便、开关格；大明谓通小肠、下水、破积聚血块、排脓、女人血闭月候不匀、下乳；李杲谓通经利窍、导小肠火。

Nature, flavor & meridians

Nature & flavor: 辛，平，无毒（《本经》通草；《别录》谓甘）；李杲谓味甘而淡、气平味薄、降也。·Meridians: 心包（手厥阴）, 小肠（手太阳）, 膀胱（足太阳）

Citations
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·蔓草类·通草（《本经》中品；即木通）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·通草·释名（木通附支丁翁万年藤）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its alternate names.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·通草·气味（《本经》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·通草·发明（时珍·木通手厥阴手足太阳药）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its meridian tropism.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·通草·主治（《本经》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·通草·主治（甄权·五淋）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·通草·主治（大明·下乳）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·通草·主治（《别录》·堕胎孕忌）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.