gan sui

Name: gan sui
Creator: Bencao Index

甘遂·Radix Kansui

gansui root

Very toxic

Toxicity graded by Sacred Lotus.

About gan sui

Gan Sui (甘遂) is the root of kansui, a plant of the spurge family, recorded as Radix Kansui. It is bitter and sweet in flavour and cold in temperature, entering the Lung, Kidney and Large Intestine channels. The catalogue files it among the harsh expellants.

Names

Pinyin	gan sui
Chinese	甘遂
Latin Name	Radix Kansui
English Name	gansui root·Kan-Sui Root
Japanese	kansui
Korean	kamsu

Classification

Category: Harsh Expellants
Channels: Lung, Large Intestine, Kidney
Flavour: Sweet, Bitter
Temperature: Cold
Part used: Root
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Species: Euphorbia Kansui
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Drains water downward and drives out congested fluids

Severe fluid collecting in the chest and abdomen, such as ascites or pleural effusion, in a strong patient with an Excess pattern
Generalised edema with facial swelling and a distended abdomen
Acts by forceful purging and urination rather than gentle draining

Expels Phlegm

Epilepsy when Phlegm blocks the orifices of the Heart
Seizures due to Wind-Phlegm
Withdrawal and mania from stubborn Phlegm that has congealed
Phlegm and fluid collected in the chest and rib-sides, which feel full, hard and painful

Clears Heat, reduces swelling and disperses nodules (topical)

Swollen, painful, nodular skin lesions of Damp-Heat, applied externally in the early stage while herbs that clear Heat and toxicity are taken by mouth

Combinations

hong/jing da ji + yuan hua
Suspended thin mucus blocking the chest and hypochondrium, with chest pain, breathlessness, cough and a hard focal distention of the epigastrium
da huang + hou po + tao ren
Intestinal obstruction
shāng lù
Edema in all three Jiaos, in the limbs or abdomen, and ascites: forcefully drives out water, clears blocked accumulations and opens the water passages (use with great caution)
da huang + dai zhe shi + zhi ban xia
Stubborn Phlegm congealing and clumping to cause withdrawal-mania; Phlegm Stagnation with epilepsy and seizures
bai jie zi + hong/jing da ji
Phlegm and thin mucus blocking the diaphragm and chest, with abrupt, excruciating pain of the thorax, neck and lower back
da huang
Mumps, swellings and ulcers, applied topically; fluid accumulating in the chest, taken as a decoction
gan cao
Ascites and abdominal distention, with a plaster placed over the navel
qian niu zi
Ascites
da huang + mang xiao
Heat in the chest with retained water
da huang + e jiao
Blood and fluids accumulating in the uterus in women, with Blood Stasis, lower abdominal fullness and slightly difficult urination

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 0.5-1.5g; Powder: 0.3-1g; Tincture: 0.25-0.1ml (6-25 drops)	0.5-1.5 g	—	0.25-0.1 ml	—	—

Cautions

pregnancy Contraindicated in pregnancy
contraindication Weak or deficient patients, in whom the purging itself does harm, and anyone without a true Excess accumulation of fluid
caution Toxic, drastic purgative: keep for ascites or other severe Excess patterns in robust patients
caution Short courses only, alternating with Qi tonics so that Qi is not exhausted
caution Sensitive patients should take it in capsules or together with Da Zao
caution Irritates the skin, mouth and gut, which is why the raw material is never used unprocessed
caution For licensed practitioners only, with correctly processed pharmacopoeial material in a suitable clinical setting

Interactions

Incompatible with

gan cao Classical incompatibility with Gan Cao (licorice root): not to be combined

Antagonistic with

yuan zhi Works against Yuan Zhi (Polygala root)

Drug interactions

Liver-toxic medicines, diuretics, and drugs whose absorption or electrolyte balance would be upset by heavy fluid loss: a theoretical concern, given its liver toxicity and violent purgation; no clinical interaction studies exist

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