Tian Men Dong (天门冬) is the tuber of asparagus, recorded as Radix Asparagi. It is sweet and bitter in flavour and cold in temperature, entering the Lung and Kidney channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that tonify Yin.

Pinyin

tian men dong

Chinese

天门冬

Latin Name

Radix Asparagi

English Name

asparagus tuber·asparagus tuber; cochin Chinese asparagus root·Aspargus Tuber·cochin Chinese asparagus root

Japanese

tenmendo

Korean

cheonmundong

Actions and indications

Nourishes Kidney Yin, clears Lung Heat and drains Deficiency Fire

Night sweats, a dry throat and mouth, and afternoon or low-grade fever from Kidney Yin deficiency
Wasting of the legs when Kidney Yin depletion leads to Jing deficiency
Lung Yin deficiency with Heat in the Upper Jiao and a dry mouth
Lung Dryness with a dry mouth and an unproductive cough, or scant sticky phlegm streaked with blood that is hard to expectorate
Chest pain and coughing up blood
Fever with an aversion to wind and cold

Moistens the Lungs, nourishes the Kidneys, generates Fluids and resolves Phlegm

Xiao Ke (wasting and thirsting disorder) of the upper, middle or lower Jiao, from Lung and Kidney Yin deficiency, with thirst and muscle wasting
Consumptive disease with a low fever in the afternoon
Dry stools and constipation when Fluids and Yin are depleted

Combinations

mai men dong

Yin Deficiency with damaged fluids, giving dry cough, thirst and related symptoms; the period after a febrile disease

mai men dong + sheng di huang + chuan bei mu + bai he

Lung Deficiency with Heat, causing a long-standing dry cough and sputum that is hard to bring up

mai men dong + xi yang shen + shu di huang

After a serious illness, Qi and Yin Deficiency with debility, low-grade fever, thirst and a dry throat

ren shen + shu di huang

Low-grade fever and debility from Yin Deficiency or following a febrile disease

sang ye + nan sha shen + xing ren + dan dou chi

Warm-Dryness with fever, mild aversion to Wind, chest pain and a cough bringing up blood-streaked sputum

sang bai pi + di gu pi + zhe bei mu + gua lou + shi gao