About ma huang

Ma Huang (麻黄) is the stem of ephedra, recorded as Herba Ephedrae. It is acrid and slightly bitter in flavour, warm in temperature, and enters the Lung and Bladder channels. The catalogue files it among the acrid, warm herbs that release the Exterior. Its root, Ma Huang Gen, is a separate medicinal.

Pinyin

ma huang

Chinese

麻黄

Latin Name

Herba Ephedrae

English Name

ephedra·Ephedra Stem

Japanese

mao

Korean

mahwang

Actions and indications

Induces sweating and releases the Exterior

Wind-Cold invading the Lungs: chills and fever with no sweating, headache, and a pulse that is floating and tight
Exterior Excess at the Tai Yang stage

Diffuses Lung Qi, calms wheezing and stops cough

Wheezing and cough when Wind-Cold blocks the Lung Qi
Wheezing of internal origin, combined with other herbs to suit a Hot or Cold pattern

Promotes urination and reduces edema

Wind edema: swelling that comes on with an external pathogen disrupting the Lungs' regulation of water

Warms and disperses Cold

Wind-Cold Bi
Toxic sores that have not come to a head

Combinations

gui zhi

Excess Wind-Cold with chills and fever and no sweating. Wind-Cold-Damp Bi

xing ren

Wind-Cold with cough and wheezing

shi gao + xing ren

Heat obstructing the Lungs, causing cough with wheezing, fever and flaring nostrils. Wind edema

shi gao + huang qin + sang bai pi

Heat obstructing the Lungs with a more severe cough, wheezing, fever and flaring nostrils

ren shen

Qi Deficiency underlying Wind-Cold

bai zhu + fu ling pi + sang bai pi

Acute-onset edema.

zhi fu zi

Wind-Cold Bi. Yang Deficiency with colds and edema

shu di huang

Yin-type boils from Cold-Damp blocking the channels. Cough and wheezing with Kidney Yin Deficiency. Difficult inhalation with cough and wheezing as the Kidneys fail to grasp Qi. Warms the channels and collaterals and frees their flow. Ying stage Deficiency Cold

shi gao + huang qin

Offsets the Excess Heat that this herb can generate

bai guo

Calms wheezing.

gan jiang + xi xin + zhi ban xia

Exterior Wind-Cold attack with Interior Cold Stagnation, causing wheezing or cough

xing ren + chen pi + hou po

Qi and Phlegm Stagnation causing wheezing and shortness of breath

sheng jiang + bai zhu + gan cao

Edema with signs and symptoms of Exterior Wind-Cold

yi yi ren + xing ren + gan cao

Wind-Damp Bi.

shu di huang + bai jie zi + lu jiao jiao

Yin sores.

shu di huang + bai jie zi + lu jiao jiao + rou gui + gan cao

Obliterating arteritis or phlebitis, or Raynaud's disease

Age

Raw

Granule

Tincture

Concentrate

Frequency

Any 1.5-10g; Tincture: 1-3ml

1.5-10 g

—

1-3 ml

—

Cautions

caution Not for large doses; overuse brings on heavy sweating that drains the body

caution Can raise blood pressure and cause restlessness or tremor

contraindication Liver Yang rising or Fire from Yin deficiency

pregnancy Use with caution in pregnancy and while breastfeeding

caution High blood pressure, heart disease or cardiac arrhythmia, and epilepsy or other seizure disorders

caution Insomnia

contraindication Deficiency with spontaneous sweating or night sweats, or wheezing because the Kidneys fail to grasp Qi

caution Also use with care in stomach ulcers, anorexia or bulimia, diabetes, an overactive thyroid, an enlarged prostate, glaucoma, cardiac asthma, and in anyone at risk of suicide

Interactions

Drug interactions

Cardiac glycosides: combined use may bring on an irregular heart rhythm
MAO inhibitors: risk of a dangerous rise in blood pressure (hypertensive crisis); do not combine
Stimulants and sympathomimetics, including ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, theophylline, caffeine and decongestants: effects on heart rate and blood pressure add up; do not combine
Beta blockers (atenolol, metoprolol, sotalol, propranolol, labetalol): may work less well, because the herb raises norepinephrine
Blood pressure medicines in general: the herb's blood-pressure-raising effect works against them
Diuretics (chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide, bumetanide, torsemide): more water and electrolytes may be lost

Prepared forms (1)

ma huang Zhi

麻黄根·Radix Ephedrae

Ma huang gen (麻黄根) is the root of ephedra, an Ephedraceae shrub, recorded as Radix Ephedrae. The catalogue records it on the Lung channel, and holds no category or actions for it.

The catalogue records no separate actions, dose or cautions for this preparation. Unless noted above it follows ma huang.

ma huang

About ma huang

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Induces sweating and releases the Exterior

Diffuses Lung Qi, calms wheezing and stops cough

Promotes urination and reduces edema

Warms and disperses Cold

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions

Prepared forms (1)

ma huang Zhi

About ma huang

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Induces sweating and releases the Exterior

Diffuses Lung Qi, calms wheezing and stops cough

Promotes urination and reduces edema

Warms and disperses Cold

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions

Prepared forms (1)

ma huang Zhi

Related

Prepared forms

Used in 30 formulas