Mai Men Dong (麦门冬) is the tuber of ophiopogon, the dwarf lilyturf, recorded as Radix Ophiopogonis. It is sweet and slightly bitter in flavour, slightly cold, and enters the Heart, Lung and Stomach channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that tonify Yin.

Pinyin

mai men dong

Chinese

麦门冬

Latin Name

Radix Ophiopogonis

English Name

dwarf lilyturf tuber·dwarf lilyturf tuber; ophiopogon tuber·Ophiopogon Tuber

Japanese

bakumondo

Korean

maekmundong

Actions and indications

Nourishes Yin, moistens the Lungs and stops cough

Lung Yin deficiency with a dry hacking cough, or thick sputum that is hard to cough up, or coughing of blood
Wheezing and a sense of fullness in the chest
Warm-Dryness pathogen
Dryness transformed into Fire

Nourishes Stomach Yin and generates Fluids

Dry mouth and tongue from Stomach Yin deficiency
Xiao Ke (wasting and thirst) and other thirst when Stomach Yin is depleted
Depleted Fluids after febrile disease

Moistens the Intestines

Constipation with a dry mouth and irritability after febrile disease or from Yin deficiency drying the Intestines

Clears the Heart and relieves irritability

Heat in the Ying level, with fever and irritability that grow worse at night
Yin deficiency with fever, restlessness and poor sleep that grow worse at night

Combinations

shi gao + sang ye + pi pa ye + e jiao

Warm-Dryness damaging the Lungs with fever, cough, wheezing, and a full, painful chest and lower ribs

zhi mu + gua lou

Pathogenic Dryness turned into Fire, with cough bringing up thick, sticky yellow sputum, chest pain and possibly blood

zhi mu + gua lou + han lian cao

Significant hemoptysis.

tian men dong

Lung and Kidney Yin Deficiency with consumptive cough and occasional coughing of blood

xuan shen + jie geng + gan cao

Lung Yin Deficiency with an itchy, dry throat, thirst and a dry cough, taken as a tea

xuan shen + mu dan pi + zhe bei mu

People with a Yin Deficient constitution who contract an epidemic toxin and develop swollen, painful diphtheria

sha shen + yu zhu + shu di huang + bing tang

Heavy sweating in Yang Ming stage or Qi level disease that has left Stomach Yin insufficient, particularly where purging has been used

zhi ban xia + dang shen

Lung Yin Deficiency with a long-standing, dry, unproductive cough

wu mei

Wasting and thirsting disorder of the Upper or Middle Jiao with a very dry throat and thirst that cannot be satisfied

sheng di huang + xuan shen

Stomach Yin Deficiency after warm febrile disease has damaged the fluids, with thirst, constipation, irritability and low-grade fever

ren shen + wu wei zi

Severe Heart and Lung Deficiency with exhaustion, a fast heart rate, wheezing and heavy sweating. Summerheat disorders with excessive fluid loss. Deficient Qi and Yin causing thirst, a dry mouth, fatigue and shortness of breath

huang qi + dang gui + wu wei zi

Heavy sweating that depletes fluids, causing irritability

suan zao ren + sheng di huang

Yin Deficiency with insomnia and irritability

sha shen

Lung Dryness or Heat damaging Lung Yin, with a dry cough, scant Phlegm and a parched throat. Pathogenic Warmth or Heat damaging Stomach Yin, or chronic Yin Deficiency, with thirst, constipation, a dry throat and a red tongue with scant coat

tian men dong + zhi mu + zhe bei mu + gua lou + huang qin + zhi zi + bai ji + mo han lian + bai mao gen