xuan shen

玄参·Radix Scrophulariae

figwort root

About xuan shen

Xuan Shen (玄参) is the root of scrophularia, the figwort, recorded as Radix Scrophulariae. It is salty, sweet and bitter in flavour and cold in temperature, entering the Lung, Stomach and Kidney channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that cool the Blood.

Names

Pinyinxuan shen
Chinese玄参
Latin NameRadix Scrophulariae
English Namefigwort root·Scrophularia
Japanesegenjin
Koreanhyeonsam

Classification

Category
Cools Blood
Channels
Lung, Stomach, Kidney
Flavour
Sweet, Bitter, Salty
Temperature
Cold
Part used
Root
Family
scrophulariaceae
Species
scrophularia ningpoenis
Tags
Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Clears Heat and cools the Blood

  • Heat at the Xue level, or Blood Heat with bleeding such as vomiting blood, fever, a dry mouth and a purple or red-purple tongue

Nourishes Yin

  • After a Warm febrile disease, Heat from depleted Yin with dry Lungs, poor sleep, constipation, irritability and a clouded Shen
  • Dry cough from dry Lungs with Yin deficiency
  • Heart Yin deficiency

Softens hardness, dissipates nodules and transforms Phlegm-Heat

  • Lumps in the neck from Phlegm-Fire, such as goiter and scrofula, and swollen tonsils
  • A throat that is badly swollen and painful

Drains Fire

  • Extreme sore throat, or red, swollen eyes

Relieves toxicity

  • Heat at the Ying level

Combinations

Dosage

AgeRawGranuleTinctureConcentrateFrequency
Any 7-30g; Tincture: 2-4ml7-30 g2-4 ml

Cautions

Interactions

Antagonistic with

Drug interactions