Sophora, Ku Shen 苦参
Ku Shen (TCM)
Botanical name:
Sophora flavescens (syn. S. alopecuroides, S. angustifoliola, S. chinensis, S. korolkowii)
Parts used:
Root
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Bitter
Classifications:
Uses:
1. Clears Damp-Heat:
-acute Dysentery with blood in the stool
-purulent and blood-streaked Leukorrhea
-Vaginal itching and discharge; Genital Sores
-Alcoholism (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
2. Settles Wind, Clears Heat, Stops Itching:
-Eczema, Psoriasis, Leprosy
-Sores and Rashes with exudation, itchiness and bleeding
-itchy skin, Scabies
3. Clears Damp-Heat, Promotes Urine:
-painful, dribbling urine
-Edema from Damp-Heat
-‘treats jaundice and urinary dripping’ (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
4. Clears Damp, Resolves Masses:
-it has become an important herb for various Cancers
-available in injectable form in China
5. Clears Lung Heat, Stops Cough:
-occasionally used for Lung Heat Cough with yellow, sticky Phlegm
6. Kills Worms and Parasites:
-previously used for Worms and Parasites (Su Gong, Li Shi Zhen)
7. Externally:
-as a wash for itchy skin diseases and rashes
-douches and washes for Trichomonas vaginitis, Vaginal Itching, and Leukorrhea
-strong decoction is used as a wash for Lice
Main Combinations:
1. Itchiness of the Skin, Rashes:
i. and weeping skin lesions, Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
ii. Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
iii. Damp-Heat sores and rashes, Sophora Ku Shen … available in PRO version
iv. weeping skin lesions, Sophora Ku Shen … available in PRO version
2. Eczema:
i. Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
ii. Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
3. Psoriasis, Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
4. Scabies, Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
5. Genital itching and or Genital rashes from Damp-Heat, Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
6. Leukorrhea from Damp-Heat:
i. Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
ii. Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
7. Dysentery from Damp-Heat, Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
8. Blood in the stool, Anal fistula, Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
9. Bleeding from Heat, Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
10. Lung Heat Cough, Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
11. Cancer:
i. Sophora Ku Shen and … available in PRO version
ii. Sophora Ku Shen, … available in PRO version
12. As a wash for Lice, Sophora Ku Shen with … available in PRO version
Major Formulas:
Xiao Feng San
Dang Gui Nian Tong Tang
Cautions:
1. Caution in cold and weakness of the Stomach.
2. Some people may experience dizziness, nausea, vomiting
3. Allergic reactions occasionally occur, primarily maculopapular rashes.
Drug Interactions:
1. Incompatible with Veratrum (Li Lu)
2. Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong counteracts Sophora Ku Shen
3. Sophora Ku Shen antagonizes Cuscuta Tu Si Zi (Dodder seed) and Fritillaria Bei Mu. (TCM)
