Herb

Notopterygium (Qiang huo)

羌活qiang huo
1 sourceRhizoma et Radix Notopterygii

Dispels wind-cold-damp and frees the joints, relieves wind painful obstruction, and is recorded for stiff neck and back pain.

Source

Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷十三·草部·独活·主治（《本经》·共）

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》载主风寒所击、金疮止痛，久服轻身耐老；甄权谓羌活治贼风失音不语、多痒、手足不遂、口面斜、遍身痹；大明谓治一切风并气、筋骨挛拳、骨节酸疼；王好古谓去肾间风邪、搜肝风、泻肝气、治项强腰脊痛。

Nature, flavor & meridians

Nature & flavor: 辛、苦，温，无毒（《本经》独活条）；张元素谓羌活性温、辛苦、气味俱薄、浮而升、阳也，手足太阳行经风药，并入足厥阴少阴经气分。·Meridians: 膀胱（足太阳）, 肾（足少阴）, 肝（足厥阴）

Citations
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·独活·释名（羌活·《本经》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
  • Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十三·草部·独活·释名（羌青·护羌使者）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·独活·气味（元素·羌活性温辛苦）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·独活·气味（元素·手足太阳行经风药入厥阴少阴）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·独活·主治（《本经》·共）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·独活·主治（甄权·羌活）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·独活·主治（大明·羌独活）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·独活·主治（好古·羌活）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·独活·气味（《本经》《别录》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.