Polygala, Yuan Zhi 远志
Chinese Senega, Thinleaf Milkwort
Yuan Zhi (TCM)
Byi ‘u srad ma བྱི་འུ་ སྲད་མ་ (Herb, Tibetan Medicine)
Polygala tenuifolia
Colla., Icones plantarum rariorum herbarium pedemontanum, (1835-1837)
Polygala sibirica flower
(Photo by Igorpysh) (Wikimedia
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Botanical name:
Polygala tenuifolia, P. sibirica
Parts used:
Root. Classically, the root and leaf were often both used. (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Bitter, Pungent, Aromatic (TCM)
Herb is considered Cool in Tibetan Medicine.
Classification:
Uses:
1. Calms the Heart, Settles the Spirit:
-Insomnia, Palpitations with Anxiety, Restlessness, Disorientation, Confusion, Poor Memory
-‘Benefits the Intelligence and invigorates the Wisdom’ … ‘strengthens Willpower’ (Li Shi Zhen)
-good for mental and emotional disorders associated with Phlegm and Damp obstruction
2. Clears Phlegm, Stops Cough:
-Cough and Dyspnea with hard-to-clear Mucus
-leaf and flower is used for accumulation of serous fluid (Tibetan Medicine)
3. Clears Heat and Toxin, Reduces Swelling:
-topically for boil, abscesses, Carbuncles, painful breast swellings
-neutralizes Aconite poison (Xu Zhi Cai)
-Wounds, Bites of rabid dogs (Tibetan Medicine)
4. Benefits Qi:
-older texts listed it to tonify deficiency
-replenishes in deficiency … strengthens physical force (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
-long-term use promotes happiness and prolongs life (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
-reinforces Vital Essence (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-‘makes a person energetic and sexually potent’. (Zhen Quan)
Dose:
Decoction: 6–15 grams
Powder: 1–3 grams
Comment:
Correctives:
Substitutes:
Preparation:
Main Combinations:
1. Poor Memory, Mental Dullness:
i. Phlegm obstructing the Heart and Mind with disorientation, combine Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
ii. Forgetfulness and restlessness, Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
iii. Phlegm-Damp obstructing the Mind with confusion, mental dullness, Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
2. Palpitations, Anxiety, Insomnia:
i. Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
ii. Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
iii. Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
iv. Heart Yin deficiency with Insomnia, Restlessness, Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
v. Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
vi. Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
3. Heart Fire causing Madness, Mania, Hallucinations, … available in PRO version
4. Depression, … available in PRO version
5. Seizures from Wind-Phlegm, Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
6. Senile Dementia, Polygala Yuan Zhi with … available in PRO version
7. Swollen skin and joint pain, … available in PRO version
Major Formulas:
Sang Piao Xiao San
Tian Wang Bu Xin Wan
Cautions:
1. Not for Yin deficient Heat
2. Not used in Peptic Ulcers or Gastritis
3. Use cautiously during Pregnancy
Drug Interactions:
1. Licorice is said to antagonize Polygala
2. Pearl counteracts Polygala.
