she xiang

麝香·Moschus

Musk

About she xiang

She Xiang (麝香) is musk, the secretion of the musk deer, recorded as Moschus. It is acrid and aromatic in flavour, warm in temperature, and enters the Heart, Spleen and Liver channels. The catalogue files it among the aromatic substances that open the orifices.

Names

Pinyin	she xiang
Chinese	麝香
Latin Name	Moschus
English Name	Musk
Japanese	jako
Korean	sahyang

Classification

Category: Aromatic Open Orifices
Channels: Spleen, Heart, Liver
Flavour: Acrid, Aromatic
Temperature: Warm
Family: Cervidae
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Powerfully opens the Orifices and Luo vessels, revives the Spirit and unblocks closed disorders

Warm-pathogen disease with Ying-level Heat attacking the Pericardium: convulsions, delirium, stupor and fainting
Closed disorders of Yang, Yin or Phlegm type, with coma, delirium or seizures; paired with cooling herbs when the closure is Hot and warming herbs when it is Cold
Wind-stroke
Tetanic collapse
Seizures

Invigorates Blood, dissipates masses, reduces swelling, resolves toxicity, opens the channels and relieves pain

Serious Blood stasis: fixed palpable masses, amenorrhea, and chest or abdominal pain
Red, hot, swollen toxic sores and carbuncles, used internally or on the skin
Channels and collaterals blocked by traumatic injury or by painful obstruction (Bi)
Coronary artery disease

Hastens delivery and expels a dead fetus

Difficult labour
A dead fetus or placenta that will not come down

Combinations

xi jiao + niu huang
Extreme Heat or Wind-Stroke with coma and sudden loss of consciousness
niu huang + bing pian
Closed disorder where Phlegm-Heat or Heat has sunk into the Pericardium
ling yang jiao + shi gao
Blazing Pericardium Heat stirring Liver Wind, with convulsions and spasms
niu huang + gou teng + dan nan xing
Childhood fevers leading to convulsions and loss of consciousness
su he xiang + an xi xiang
Cold closed disorder, generally from Phlegm-Turbidity or Cold-Dampness
dan shen + tao ren + hong hua + chi shao
Amenorrhea.
shui zhi + meng chong + san leng
Severe Blood Stasis, including fixed abdominal masses
mu xiang + tao ren
Sudden severe pain of the chest and abdomen. Blood Stagnation in the chest with angina pectoris or arteriosclerosis
ru xiang + mo yao + xiong huang + yan hu suo
Suppurating sores and injury from trauma
chi shao + dan shen + san leng + e zhu
Blood Stasis with fixed abdominal masses, amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea. Organomegaly
zhen zhu + xiong huang + niu huang
Severe hot sores and ulcers, particularly of the throat
du huo + wei ling xian + han fang ji
Severe Wind-Damp Bi.
wu ling zhi + mu hu die
Scrofula and Phlegm nodules.
rou gui
Hastens delivery of a stillborn fetus or the placenta
su he xiang
Revives closed Wind-Stroke or Phlegm Collapse. Channel cramps and spasms from the miasmic Damp Qi of mountain mists
niu huang
Heat coma; sore throat
niu huang + bing pian + zhu sha
Heat stroke, stroke, convulsions and/or Heat with Phlegm, with impaired consciousness
tian zhu huang + zhu sha
Infantile convulsions.
ling yang jiao + zhu sha
Tremors and convulsions.
su he xiang + tan xiang
Cold and Phlegm with impaired consciousness
ru xiang + mo yao
Hot swellings, sores and carbuncles

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any	0.03-0.1 g	—	5-7 drops	—	—

Cautions

pregnancy Strictly contraindicated in pregnancy: it moves Blood forcefully and can cause miscarriage
contraindication Heat signs from deficient Yin
caution High blood pressure
caution Allergies
caution Impaired kidney function
caution Cerebral hyperactivity
caution Cerebral congestion
caution Its scattering, dispersing nature can drain Yuan Qi: give it only briefly, and only for true Excess closed patterns

Interactions

Drug interactions

Anticoagulants and other prescription medicines: no documented interaction, but its strong Blood-moving action calls for a practitioner's review (precautionary)