shan ci gu

山茨菇·Cremastrae

Cremastra

Slightly toxic

Toxicity graded by American Dragon.

About shan ci gu

Shan Ci Gu (山茨菇) is the pseudobulb of cremastra or pleione, orchids, recorded as Pseudobulbus Cremastrae seu Pleiones. It is sweet and slightly acrid in flavour and cold in temperature, entering the Liver and Stomach channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that clear Heat.

Names

Pinyin	shan ci gu
Chinese	山茨菇
Latin Name	Cremastrae·Cremastrae, Pleiones Pseudobulbus
English Name	Cremastra
Japanese	sanjiko
Korean	sanjago

Classification

Category: Clear Heat
Channels: Stomach, Liver
Flavour: Sweet, Slightly Acrid
Temperature: Cold
Family: Orchidaceae
Species: Cremastra Appendiculata
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Clears Heat, resolves Fire toxin, reduces abscesses and dissipates nodules

Serious toxic lesions: sores, abscesses, boils, carbuncles and toxic swellings
Scrofula and Phlegm nodules
Goiter and thyroid nodules

Resolves toxicity, dissipates masses and reduces swelling

Masses, chiefly abdominal, including tumors; classically also masses of the esophagus
In modern integrative practice, a supporting herb alongside standard care for tumors of the breast, liver and lung

Counteracts venom

Snake and insect bites, taken internally or applied to the skin

Combinations

she xiang + wu bei zi
Scrofula, abscesses and deep-rooted boils
gao liang jiang
Facial scrofula.
qing fen + peng sha
Facial scarring.
she xiang
Abscesses and carbuncles.
tu bie chong + chuan shan jia
Cirrhosis.
chong lou + dan shen + xia ku cao
Thyroid tumors.
wang bu liu xing + jin yin hua + bing pian
Fixed breast masses, taken as a decoction
she xiang + hong/jing da ji
Toxic sores.

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any	3-15 g	—	—	—	—

Cautions

caution Slightly toxic and cold: keep to moderate amounts, avoid large or prolonged dosing, and use under professional supervision
caution Weak patients, or those with Qi or Spleen and Stomach deficiency with loose stools or poor appetite, whose digestion its cold nature can burden further
contraindication Poor liver function
contraindication Cardiovascular disease
pregnancy Traditionally avoided in pregnancy; use only with a qualified practitioner
caution The same name is applied to look-alike herbs that contain colchicine, so the material must be authentic

Interactions

Drug interactions

CYP3A4 inhibitors, P-glycoprotein inhibitors and statins: these raise colchicine toxicity, which matters only if a colchicine-bearing substitute has been supplied; authentic Shan Ci Gu has no documented interactions