Pei Lan (佩兰) is eupatorium, a plant of the daisy family, recorded as Herba Eupatorii. It is acrid and aromatic in flavour and neutral in temperature, entering the Spleen and Stomach channels. The catalogue files it among the aromatic herbs that transform Damp.

Pinyin

pei lan

Chinese

佩兰

Latin Name

Herba Eupatorii

English Name

Eupatorium·eupatorium; fortune eupatorium·fortune eupatorium

Japanese

hairan

Korean

paeran

Actions and indications

Aromatically transforms Damp, awakens the Spleen and harmonises the Middle Jiao

Damp blocking the Middle Jiao: a stuffy chest, no appetite, nausea, distension of the epigastrium and abdomen, and a moist or greasy white tongue coat
Spleen-channel Damp-Heat: sweet, sticky mouth, copious thick saliva, bad breath and vomiting

Transforms Damp and releases Summerheat

Summerheat-Damp causing a mild fever, nausea and a heavy feeling
Damp-warmth febrile disease in its early stage

Aromatically clears turbid filth from the Middle Jiao, frees the Stomach and harmonises the Middle

Thick, turbid Damp building up in the Middle Jiao and binding Stomach Qi: lethargy, nausea, poor appetite, distending pain of the epigastrium and abdomen, and a tongue coat that is thick and greasy

Combinations

huo xiang + bai dou kou

Middle Jiao obstructed by Dampness

huang lian

Heat or overeating of fatty, greasy food causing indigestion, with regurgitation of thick turbid fluid, a sticky unpleasant feeling in the mouth, belching and a greasy white tongue coat

huo xiang + qing hao

Damp Summerheat

hua sh + yi yi ren

Damp-Warm febrile disease in its early stage

huo xiang

Thick Dampness building up in the Middle Jiao and binding Stomach Qi, with nausea, lethargy, anorexia, distending pain of the epigastrium and abdomen, and a very thick, greasy tongue coat. Clears turbid Yin pathogens anywhere in the body, Exterior or Interior, and forms the base of many formulas for turbid Dampness. Drunk as a summer tea to prevent the common cold and Summerheat with Dampness

huo xiang + bai dou kou + yu jin + huang qin

Damp-Heat with turbid filth binding Stomach Qi: fever, jaundice, dark urine and a greasy tongue coat tinged yellow

huo xiang + zi su ye + zhi ban xia + chen pi

Turbidity together with Cold-Dampness binding Stomach Qi: nausea and dry retching, chills and fever, and a white greasy tongue coat tinged gray

cang zhu + hou po + bai dou kou

Summer-Dampness

hua sh + huang qin + yi yi ren

Summerheat and Dampness

tian hua fen + mai men dong + huang lian

Chronic Damp-Heat Accumulation

Age

Raw

Granule

Tincture

Concentrate

Frequency

Any 3-10g; Fresh: 6-20g; Tincture: 2-4ml

3-10 g

—

2-4 ml

—

Cautions

contraindication Yin deficiency, or depleted fluids, which this acrid, drying herb can worsen

contraindication Deficiency of both Qi and Yin

contraindication Stomach Qi deficiency

caution Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids: keep to short courses at customary doses under professional supervision, and avoid prolonged or high-dose use

pregnancy As a plant containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids it is best avoided in pregnancy (a general precaution, not a traditional contraindication)

lactation Best avoided while breastfeeding, for the same pyrrolizidine alkaloid precaution

pei lan

About pei lan

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Aromatically transforms Damp, awakens the Spleen and harmonises the Middle Jiao

Transforms Damp and releases Summerheat

Aromatically clears turbid filth from the Middle Jiao, frees the Stomach and harmonises the Middle

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions