Guest guest Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Z'ev, I agree, I'm not really sure that single herb studies does a whole lot for us as CM practitioners, however there can be valuable information gleaned from these studies. I wanted to briefly mention that, as I'm sure you are aware, cimicifuga is now actea. This means that botanists have decided that these two genera are really one genus, which by the way was the way it was originally. I am not familiar with Actea arguta but Actea rubra (red baneberry) is an excellent medicinal with similar actions to Actea (formally cimicifuga) racemosa. I find the former to be more nourishing to the blood and use it as a blood nourishing medicinal. These two medicinals are also similar to the various species of sheng ma. Here is a part of a monograph I wrote for Actea racemosa: (this work is currently being edited and nothing is final) Black Cohosh Actea (formally Cimicifuga) racemosa Ranunculaceae Rhizoma et Radix Actea Racemosae Other names: Black Snakeroot, Bugbane Qi and Flavor: bitter, acrid, slightly sweet, cool Channels entered: liver, spleen, lung, heart, large intestine Actions: sedative, antiinflammatory, antispasmodic, diuretic, antitussive, emmenagogue Functions & Indications: Moves qi, quickens the blood and transforms stasis for qi stagnation with blood stasis causing amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, menopausal syndrome, abdominal pain, flank pain, mastitis and chest impediment. Black Cohosh is acrid and moving, quickening the blood and moving the qi. The activation help to resovle many issues due to stagnation and stasis so prevalent in modern culture. It is frequently used for females issues due to the monthly movement of blood and the associated liver qi. Though Black Cohosh is primarily stimulating to the movement of both qi and blood its slightly sweet nature amoiliates any harness generally associated with medicinals that stimulate the movement of qi and blood. Furthermore, recent uses of this medicinal would lead one to use it to nourish liver blood, a use I have found to be beneficial in clinical practice. Lifts yang qi, for insufficient yang qi causing aching, dull or pulling pain in the lumbo-sacral area, muscles or chest. This herb is also for false labor (slippery fetus) where there is vacuity of yang qi unable to hold the fetus. Like it close relative sheng ma, Black Cohosh has an upbearing action on the qi and is very effective for illnesses associated with spleen qi failing to upbear. Black Cohosh has a long history of use for pulling pain in the lumbrosacral area showing its inherent ability to upbear yang qi. Futhermore, its slightly sweet flavor and gentle blood nourishing action indirectly nourishes the qi thus nourishing the sleep providing a two-pronged approach that, in fact, may overshadow its Chinese counterpart. Dispels wind and dampness for wind-damp impediment, with symptoms such as muscle aches, lumbar pain and joint pain. Also used for acute wind patterns especially when complicated by dampness with symptoms such as chilliness, heat effusion, stiff neck, headache and body aches. Black Cohosh~{!/~}s acrid and bitter nature effectively dispels wind and dampness and treatment wind-damp impediment and relieves pain. It can be use for either wind-damp-heat or wind-damp-cold when appropriate herbs are used in formula. Though it has a slightly sweet and nourishing action it seems to be quite effective for the treatment of wind-damp conditions without damaging the rightgeous qi. This makes it a unique medicinal and an important addition/substitution to the Chinese materia medica. Cautions: Use with caution during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. Note that an overdose of this herb may cause a dull frontal headache. Dosage and Preparation and Preparation: 3-9g in decoction; 2-4ml in tincture Good quality is black and grayish with a sweetish smell. The taste should be bitter and slightly acrid. There should be few very small rootlets, although small roots are acceptable. The rhizome should be hard and somewhat brittle, not pithy. Good fresh root is quite sweet as is fresh plant tincture, which is the preferred liquid medicine. Major combinations: Combine with Blue Cohosh for a variety of menstrual disorders including amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, difficult labor and as preparation for labor. Combine with Motherwort and Bugleweed for chest impediment from blood stasis due to either vacuity or repletion patterns according to the other herbs in the formula. Combine with Chaenomelis for cramping pain in the lower back or extremities. Combine with Vitex, Cyperus, and Rose buds (mei gui hua) for dull/achy menstrual pain, flank pain, and breast tenderness. Combine with Angelica Duhuo and Dipsacus for chronic low back pain or other impediment syndromes with pain and cold-damp, yang qi vacuity patterns. Combine with Red Sage root and Notoginseng for chest impediment with heart irregularities, palpitations, and pain. " " I wonder if this has any relevance to the practice of Chinese herbal medicine, these single herb studies. There are so many variables, as we see in the wide variety of products, in quality, preparation and combination with other ingredients. Other plants such as baneberry/actaea arguta are being used as substitutes, and they may have different qualities to true cimicifuga racemosa. As we previously discussed, there may be some differences between cimicifuga racemosa and sheng ma/cimicifuga foetida. I don't know if cimicifuga racemosa raises the clear yang with the efficiency of Chinese cimicifugas, but it makes sense that in women with hot flashes associated with sinking of spleen qi, it would be helpful. However, hot flashes in Chinese medicine can have several contributing patterns, and if those patterns are not addressed, the condition will not be improved. Professor of Honolulu, HI 808-349-8219 www.herbsandmore.photostockplus.com FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Thomas, For me the issue in this case is whether other acteas raise the clear yang. I am aware that other acteas have beneficial therapeutic effects. In my opinion, it is the ability of sheng ma to raise the clear yang that is relieving the hot flashes in a pattern of spleen qi fall. On Oct 28, 2005, at 2:05 PM, wrote: > Z'ev, > > I agree, I'm not really sure that single herb studies does a whole > lot for us as CM practitioners, however there can be valuable > information gleaned from these studies. > > I wanted to briefly mention that, as I'm sure you are aware, > cimicifuga is now actea. This means that botanists have decided > that these two genera are really one genus, which by the way was > the way it was originally. I am not familiar with Actea arguta but > Actea rubra (red baneberry) is an excellent medicinal with similar > actions to Actea (formally cimicifuga) racemosa. I find the former > to be more nourishing to the blood and use it as a blood nourishing > medicinal. These two medicinals are also similar to the various > species of sheng ma. Here is a part of a monograph I wrote for > Actea racemosa: (this work is currently being edited and nothing is > final) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 , > wrote: >>This herb is also for false labor (slippery fetus) where there is vacuity of yang qi unable to hold the fetus. The Chinese phrase that literally means " slippery fetus " (hua tai) is generally translated as habitual miscarriage. It is different than false labor, and is defined as follows: Miscarriage successively occurring three times or more. Habitual miscarriage is attributable to qi vacuity, kidney vacuity, blood heat, blood vacuity, or external injury. On the Cimicifuga/Actea issue, I am told that Stoger and Wiseman (who use the same list for Chinese and Latin) are aware of a number of issues like the one we see in Sheng Ma. But most countries use the official pharmacopeia of the host country as their standard for nomenclature. Thus, the Latin names will continue to reflect those found in the Chinese pharmacopeia until the pharmacopeia changes to reflect the botanical updates. We will definitely mention the new name in our book, but the status quo is not currently set by either the Western TCMers or the botanists, it is set by the official pharmacopeia of the PRC. Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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