lou lu

Name: lou lu
Creator: Bencao Index

漏芦·Radix Rhapontici

rhaponticum root

About lou lu

Lou Lu (漏芦) is the root of rhaponticum, recorded as Radix Rhapontici. It is bitter and salty in flavour and cold in temperature, entering the Stomach and Large Intestine channels.

Names

Pinyin	lou lu
Chinese	漏芦
Latin Name	Radix Rhapontici
English Name	rhaponticum root

Classification

Channels: Large Intestine, Stomach
Flavour: Bitter, Salty
Temperature: Cold

Actions and indications

Clears Heat, resolves toxicity, drains abscesses, reduces swelling and expels pus

Sores and abscesses in their early, red, swollen and painful stage
Swelling and pain of the breast, including mastitis with abscess from Heat

Promotes lactation

Scanty milk with distended breasts, especially when Heat is the cause

Combinations

lian qiao + da huang + pu gong ying
Abscesses in their acute stage with redness, heat, swelling and pain, particularly of the breast
gua lou + zhe bei mu + pu gong ying
Breasts that are swollen, red and painful
huang qi + huang bai + jin yin hua
Chronic non-healing ulcers.
ban bian lian
Hard fixed masses.
tong cao + wang bu liu xing
Insufficient lactation.
gua lou
Breasts that are red, swollen and painful. Promotes milk flow where Qi Stagnation has turned into Heat
tian hua fen + dang gui
Burst breast abscess containing pus
gua lou + pu gong ying + zao jiao ci
Breast abscess not yet burst, with no pus
wang bu liu xing + chuan shan jia
Heat causing scanty milk or blocked milk flow
xuan shen + ban lan gen
Sore throat.

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 3-14g; Tincture: 1-4ml	3-14 g	—	1-4 ml	—	—

Cautions

pregnancy Not for use in pregnancy
lactation Not for low milk supply that stems from deficiency
contraindication Qi deficiency; cold, draining and moving, it works against a depleted patient
caution Pale, chronic sores of a Cold or Yin type
caution Two different plants are supplied under this name; where the effect depends on Lou Lu itself, confirm the source plant with the supplier