About chai hu

Chai Hu (柴胡) is the root of bupleurum, a plant of the carrot family, recorded as Radix Bupleuri. It is bitter and acrid in flavour and cool in temperature, entering the Liver, Gallbladder, Pericardium and San Jiao channels. The catalogue files it among the cool, acrid herbs that release the Exterior.

Pinyin

chai hu

Chinese

柴胡

Latin Name

Radix Bupleuri

English Name

Bupleurum·bupleurum; hare's ear root; thorowax root·hare's ear root·thorowax root

Japanese

saiko

Korean

siho

Actions and indications

Harmonises Shao Yang and reduces fever

Shao Yang pattern: chills alternating with fever, a bitter taste, fullness in the chest, pain along the flanks, dizziness and ringing in the ears, irritability, and nausea or vomiting
Deficiency Heat, as a supporting herb
Gallbladder Fire

Spreads Liver Qi and relieves constraint

Constrained Liver Qi with chest and flank pain, dizziness, emotional strain and irregular periods
Liver overacting on the Spleen and Stomach, with epigastric and rib-side pain, a tight chest, bloating, nausea and poor digestion
Liver and Gallbladder disharmony

Raises the Clear Yang of the Middle Jiao

Sinking Qi of the Spleen and Stomach with prolapse of the rectum or uterus, hemorrhoids, long-standing diarrhea or exhaustion
Vaginal discharge or bleeding when Qi fails to lift and hold

Disperses Wind-Heat and clears Phlegm congestion

Wind-Heat invasion

Combinations

huang qin

Shao Yang Heat; restores normal Liver and Gallbladder function; Womb Heat with delirium, fever and chills

huang qin + zhi ban xia

Shao Yang disorder with alternating fever and chills and fullness in the chest and hypochondrium

huang qin + zhi ban xia + gui zhi + gan jiang

Shao Yang disorder in which Cold predominates

huang qin + zhi ban xia + shi gao + zhi mu

Shao Yang disorder in which Heat predominates

huang qin + zhi ban xia + zhi shi + chi shao

Mainly Excess-type Shao Yang disorder

huang qin + zhi ban xia + ren shen + gan cao

Weak patients.

bai shao

Age

Raw

Granule

Tincture

Concentrate

Frequency

Any 3-12g; Tincture: 1-3.5ml

3-12 g

—

1-3.5 ml

—

Cautions

contraindication Cough from Yin deficiency

contraindication Severe damage to Yin or Body Fluids

contraindication Liver Fire or Liver Yang rising to the head, which its ascending, dispersing nature can aggravate

caution Can cause nausea or vomiting, mainly at higher doses; reducing the dose usually prevents it

caution Not for continuous use on its own

caution May loosen the bowels or cause drowsiness

caution Prolonged or high-dose use calls for professional supervision, especially with existing liver disease; higher doses of Bupleurum formulas have been associated with liver injury in people with hepatitis B

chai hu

About chai hu

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Harmonises Shao Yang and reduces fever

Spreads Liver Qi and relieves constraint

Raises the Clear Yang of the Middle Jiao

Disperses Wind-Heat and clears Phlegm congestion

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions

About chai hu

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Harmonises Shao Yang and reduces fever

Spreads Liver Qi and relieves constraint

Raises the Clear Yang of the Middle Jiao

Disperses Wind-Heat and clears Phlegm congestion

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions

Related

Used in 42 formulas