yuan zhi

远志·Radix Polygalae

Polygala Root

About yuan zhi

Yuan Zhi (远志) is the root of polygala, the thin-leaf milkwort, recorded as Radix Polygalae. It is bitter and acrid in flavour, slightly warm, and enters the Heart and Lung channels. The catalogue files it among the substances that nourish the Heart and calm the Spirit.

Names

Pinyinyuan zhi
Chinese远志
Latin NameRadix Polygalae
English NamePolygala Root·thin-leaf milkwort root
Japaneseonji
Koreanwonji

Classification

Channels
Lung, Heart
Flavour
Acrid, Bitter
Temperature
Slightly Warm
Part used
Root
Family
Polygalaceae
Species
polygala tenuifolia
Tags
Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Calms the Spirit, quiets the Heart and restores communication between the Heart and Kidneys

  • Insomnia, anxious palpitations, restlessness, irritability and disorientation
  • Excessive brooding or bottled-up emotion, where it works best
  • Heart and Kidneys failing to communicate

Expels Phlegm, opens the orifices, clears the Lungs and stops cough

  • Phlegm clouding the Heart orifices, with emotional disturbance, confusion, forgetfulness, spasms or seizures
  • Phlegm lodged in the Lungs with plentiful sputum, above all when it is hard to cough up
  • Angina pectoris

Reduces abscesses and dissipates swelling

  • Boils, abscesses and sores, and painful, swollen breasts or mastitis; applied as a powder or taken with wine

Combinations

Dosage

AgeRawGranuleTinctureConcentrateFrequency
Any 3-15g; Tincture: 2-4ml3-15 g2-4 ml

Cautions

Interactions

Antagonistic with

Drug interactions

Prepared forms (2)

yuan zhi Mi Zhi

远志·Radix Polygalae

Yuan zhi mi (远志) is the honey-processed form of yuan zhi, the root of polygala, a Polygalaceae species supplied as Radix Polygalae. The catalogue files it among the substances that nourish the Heart and calm the spirit, on the Heart and Lung channels.

The catalogue records no separate actions, dose or cautions for this preparation. Unless noted above it follows yuan zhi.

yuan zhi

远志·Radix Polygalae Prepared

Yuan Zhi (Zhi) (远志) is the processed root of polygala, recorded as Radix Polygalae Praeparata. The catalogue holds no category, channels or actions for it.

The catalogue records no separate actions, dose or cautions for this preparation. Unless noted above it follows yuan zhi.