zhi mu

Name: zhi mu
Creator: Bencao Index

知母·Rhizoma Anemarrhenae

Anemarrhena Rhizome

About zhi mu

Zhi Mu (知母) is the rhizome of anemarrhena, recorded as Rhizoma Anemarrhenae. It is bitter and sweet in flavour and cold in temperature, entering the Lung, Stomach and Kidney channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that drain Fire.

Names

Pinyin	zhi mu
Chinese	知母
Latin Name	Rhizoma Anemarrhenae
English Name	Anemarrhena Rhizome
Japanese	chimo
Korean	jimo

Classification

Category: Drain Fire
Channels: Lung, Stomach, Kidney
Flavour: Sweet, Bitter
Temperature: Cold
Part used: Rhizome
Family: Anemarrhenaceae
Species: Anemarrhena aspheloides
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Clears Heat and drains Fire from the Qi level, the Lungs and the Stomach

High fever at the Qi level, with intense thirst, restlessness and irritability, and a surging, rapid pulse
Dryness and Heat in the Lungs, with cough and thick yellow phlegm
Yang Ming Heat
Stomach Heat

Nourishes Yin and moistens Dryness

Lung and Kidney Yin deficiency: sweating at night, steaming bone disorder, fever in the afternoon or of low grade, irritability, heat in the five centres (palms, soles and chest), and bleeding gums
Stomach Yin deficiency
Kidney Heat with spermatorrhea, nocturnal emissions or leakage of essence, and an abnormally strong sex drive

Generates Fluids, clears Deficiency Fire and relieves thirst

Mouth ulcers or inflammation, a dry mouth and throat, and thirst from Yin deficiency
Xiao Ke (wasting and thirsting disorder, the classical counterpart of diabetes) from Yin deficiency

Tempers the dryness of tonifying or warming herbs

Added to herbs such as Huang Qi, Gui Zhi or Zhi Fu Zi when they risk being too drying

Combinations

huang bai
Clears Heat and drains Fire in Yin Deficiency Fire. Yin Deficiency steaming bone with dizziness, vertigo and night sweats
huang bai + rou gui
Lower Jiao Damp-Heat obstructing Bladder Qi function, with urinary retention and afternoon fever
huang lian
Blazing Stomach Fire with ravenous hunger, dry stools, a dry yellow tongue coat and a rapid, slippery pulse
zhe bei mu
Lung Heat or Yin Deficiency cough producing thick yellow sputum
xuan shen + sheng di huang
Mouth ulcers
bie jia
Steaming bone disorder.
tian hua fen + mai men dong
Lung and Stomach Dryness with irritability and thirst
tian hua fen + main men dong + wu wei zi + ge gen
Diabetes.
shan yao + huang qi + wu wei zi
Wasting and thirsting.
shi gao
Epidemic disease. Cools Yang Ming or Qi Level Heat while preserving Stomach fluids, for high fever, heavy sweating, unquenchable thirst, a flushed face, aversion to heat and a strong, large pulse
cao guo
Harmonizes Exterior and Interior and regulates Cold and Heat for malarial disorders where Tai Yin turbid Dampness steams upward (irritability, Heat and profuse sweating)
huang bai + shu di huang
Empty Fire from Yin Deficiency
huang qin
Cough from Excess Lung Heat
shi gao + tian hua fen + wu wei zi + huang qi
Lung and Stomach Heat damaging the Fluids, causing thirst
bai he

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 6-12g; Maximum dose: 30g; Tincture: 2-4ml	6-12 g	—	2-4 ml	—	—

Cautions

contraindication Diarrhea or loose stools
contraindication Cold from Spleen deficiency; bitter and cold, it can damage Spleen and Stomach Yang
contraindication Impotence with quick arousal and premature ejaculation
contraindication Weak Spleen
contraindication Inability to digest food
contraindication Deficient Stomach with no interest in eating
contraindication Kidney Yang deficiency

Interactions

Drug interactions

Insulin, sulfonylureas and other antidiabetic medicines (tolbutamide, glipizide, glyburide): the combined effect may push blood sugar too low

Link to this herb

Paste any of these. The wording inside the link is the part that matters — it tells a search engine what this page is about, so it is filled in for you.

HTML

<a href="https://bencaoindex.com/herbs/zhi-mu/">zhi mu 知母</a> — Bencao Index

Markdown

[zhi mu 知母](https://bencaoindex.com/herbs/zhi-mu/) — Bencao Index

With our badge

<a href="https://bencaoindex.com/herbs/zhi-mu/"><img src="https://bencaoindex.com/badges/bencao-index-160.svg" alt="Bencao Index" width="160" height="40"></a>

Free to use with a visible link back. This herb is also available as XML. See link to us for banners, the feed, and the terms.

Support

Bencao Index is free to use and free of advertising, and is paid for by one practitioner.

Make a donation