bei sha shen

北沙参·Radix Glehniae

Glehnia Root

About bei sha shen

Bei Sha Shen (北沙参) is the root of glehnia, a plant of the carrot family, recorded as Radix Glehniae. It enters the Lung and Stomach channels and is filed among the herbs that tonify Yin. The 北 opening its name marks it as the northern root, and distinguishes it from Nan Sha Shen, which is a different plant.

Names

Pinyin	bei sha shen
Chinese	北沙参
Latin Name	Radix Glehniae
English Name	Glehnia Root·straight ladybell root
Japanese	hokushajin
Korean	buksasam

Classification

Category: Tonify Yin
Channels: Lung, Stomach
Family: Apiaceae
Species: Glehnia Littoralis
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Nourishes Lung Yin and clears Lung Heat

Dry, hacking cough without phlegm, with a dry, scratchy throat and a hoarse voice
Occasional scanty sputum with blood in it, when Heat injures the Lung collaterals

Nourishes Stomach Yin and generates Fluids

Stomach Yin deficiency with thirst, dry mouth and poor appetite; the tongue is red and dry with a scanty or absent coat
Damaged Fluids following a febrile illness

Cautions

contraindication Deficiency Cold of the Spleen and Stomach (Yang deficiency with cold limbs or loose stools); being sweet and cold, it aggravates this
caution Copious thin or watery phlegm, which cold, moistening herbs can make worse

Interactions

Drug interactions

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines: the plant contains coumarin-type compounds, so routine practitioner awareness is sensible; theoretical only, as no clinical interaction data exist