xuan fu hua

Name: xuan fu hua
Creator: Bencao Index

旋覆花·Flos Inulae

Inula Flower

About xuan fu hua

Xuan Fu Hua (旋覆花) is the flower of inula, a plant of the daisy family, recorded as Flos Inulae. It is bitter, acrid and salty in flavour, slightly warm, and enters the Lung, Liver, Spleen and Stomach channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that transform Phlegm-Cold.

Names

Pinyin	xuan fu hua
Chinese	旋覆花
Latin Name	Flos Inulae
English Name	Inula Flower
Japanese	senpukuka
Korean	seonbokhwa

Classification

Category: Transform Phlegm Cold
Channels: Lung, Stomach, Spleen, Liver
Flavour: Acrid, Bitter, Salty
Temperature: Slightly Warm
Part used: Flower
Family: Asteraceae
Species: Inula Japonica|Inula Britannica
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Expels Phlegm and moves retained water

Phlegm accumulating in the Lungs with rebellious Qi
Phlegm and thin fluids collecting in the chest: cough or wheezing with abundant white or yellow sputum and fullness of the chest and diaphragm
Mainly for Cold patterns, though usable for Hot patterns with suitable herbs
Phlegm-Damp

Descends Qi and stops vomiting

Vomiting, hiccups and belching
Nausea and acid reflux from rebellious Stomach Qi with Phlegm

Directs Lung Qi downward and calms wheezing

Cough driven by rising Qi rather than by dryness

Softens hardness below the ribs

Localised distension and hardness under the ribs from Phlegm and stagnant Qi

Combinations

zhi ban xia + xi xin + xing ren
Cold and Phlegm invading the Lungs, with wheezing and cough
fu shi
Phlegm-Heat with a tight chest and a cough bringing up sticky sputum that is hard to expectorate
jie geng + sang bai pi + huang qin + da huan
Phlegm-Heat with wheezing and cough
zhi ban xia
Congested fluids causing a distended epigastrium, cough, wheezing and vomiting
dai zhe shi + ren shen + zhi ban xia
Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold with accumulated turbid Phlegm, causing incessant belching, hiccup or vomiting
huang lian + zhu ru
Stomach Heat with vomiting
mu xiang + shen qu + bai zhu
Belching, indigestion and a distended epigastrium
sheng jiang + zhi ban xia + ma huang
Exterior patterns with accumulated Phlegm

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 3-12g; Tincture: 2-4ml	3-12 g	—	2-4 ml	—	—

Cautions

contraindication Dry cough from Yin deficiency, as in tuberculosis, where it can worsen dryness
contraindication Cough from Wind-Heat
contraindication Loose stools in debilitated patients or from Spleen deficiency
caution Its fine hairs irritate the throat and can set off coughing; always decoct it wrapped in cloth
caution Sensitivity to the daisy family (Asteraceae)
pregnancy A strongly descending herb: use in pregnancy only under qualified supervision
caution Long-term use only under qualified supervision

Interactions

Drug interactions

Diuretics (chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide, bumetanide, torsemide): more water and electrolytes may be lost
Anti-emetic, prokinetic or acid-suppressing medicines: their uses overlap, so a practitioner should know about both (coordination of care, no documented interaction)

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