Use of Ban Xia (crow-dipper rhizomes) in TCM
Please note that you should never self-prescribe TCM ingredients. A TCM ingredient is almost never eaten on its own but as part of a formula containing several ingredients that act together. Please consult a professional TCM practitioner, they will be best able to guide you.
Preparation: Because the raw unprocessed herb is toxic, it is most often given in its processed form which is
fried with Ginger juice.
Dosage: 3 - 12 grams
Main actions according to TCM*: Drains Dampness and reduces Phlegm. Reverses the flow of Rebellious Qi. Reduces hardenings and relieves distention.
Primary conditions or symptoms for which Ban Xia may be prescribed by TCM doctors*:
Asthma
Coughing
Phlegm
Sputum
Palpitations
Headache
Morning sickness
Globus pharyngis
Chest congestion
Contraindications*: This herb is toxic in its raw form so it should only be taken if processed by a professional. This herb should not be used by pregnant women or those with any blood disorders, especially bleeding. It should be used with caution by those with Heat and Dryness. This herb should not be used with Aconite (Fu Zi).
Common TCM formulas in which Ban Xia is used*
Ban Xia is a king ingredient in Er Chen Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Er Chen Tang, Ban Xia dries Dampness, expels Phlegm, and causes rebellious Qi in the Stomach to descend. As a single ingredient, it provides most of the actions required in treating a Phlegm-Dampness pattern.
Read more about Er Chen Tang
Ban Xia is a king ingredient in Wen Dan Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Wen Dan Tang, Ban Xia is the principal substance in the materia medica for transforming Phlegm and regulating the Stomach Qi.
Read more about Wen Dan Tang
Ban Xia is a king ingredient in Ban Xia Hou Pu Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Ban Xia Hou Pu Tang, Ban Xia transforms Phlegm, dissipates clumps, directs Rebellious Qi downward, and harmonizes the Stomach. It thereby addresses all the major aspects of Phlegm-Qi.
Read more about Ban Xia Hou Pu Tang
Ban Xia is a king ingredient in Xiao Ban Xia Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Xiao Ban Xia Tang, Ban Xia is acrid, drying, and downward-directing. It drains water and Dampness by drying and dispersing them. Through its ability to direct the Qi downward, it harmonizes the Stomach and stops nausea, hiccup, and a sensation of fullness in the epigastrium.
Read more about Xiao Ban Xia Tang
Ban Xia is a king ingredient in Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang, Ban Xia is the principal substance in the materia medica for transforming Phlegm and regulating the Stomach Qi.
Read more about Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang
Ban Xia is a deputy ingredient in Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang, Ban Xia enters the Stomach Channel and disperses clumping, stops vomiting, and eliminates focal distention.
Read more about Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang
Ban Xia is a deputy ingredient in Xiong Gui Er Chen Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Xiong Gui Er Chen Tang, Ban Xia dries Dampness, expels phlegm, and causes rebellious Stomach Qi to descend. This latest action makes it also useful in controlling nausea and vomiting.
Its main purpose is to open the Qi dynamic. As noted by Zhang Shan-Lei the best aspects of Ban Xia can be summed up in four characters: opening (开 kai), disseminating(宣 xuan), slippery (滑 hua), and downward-directing (降 jiang). The reason that it can eliminate turbidity and Phlegm is simply its actions in opening, draining, and slipping downward.
The transformation of Phlegm by Ban Xia facilitates the smooth flow of Qi. Once this occurs, the transporting and transforming functions of the Spleen and Stomach will be restored. Then the Middle Burner will no longer produce Phlegm.
Read more about Xiong Gui Er Chen Tang
Ban Xia is a deputy ingredient in Lian Po Yin. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Lian Po Yin, Ban Xia dries Dampness and is very effective in directing the Rebellious Stomach Qi downward, thereby stopping vomiting and/or nausea
Read more about Lian Po Yin
Ban Xia is a deputy ingredient in Di Tan Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Di Tan Tang, Ban Xia acrid and warming. It is good at drying Dampness and transforming Phlegm. It also directs the rebellious Qi downward and warms the Stomach.
Read more about Di Tan Tang
Ban Xia is a deputy ingredient in Su Zi Jiang Qi Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Su Zi Jiang Qi Tang, Ban Xia helps the key herb in directing Qi downward and transforming Phlegm
Read more about Su Zi Jiang Qi Tang
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Liu Jun Zi Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Liu Jun Zi Tang, Ban Xia , like Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi), has a drying effect and helps direct the Qi downward.
Read more about Liu Jun Zi Tang
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Ding Chuan Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
Read more about Ding Chuan Tang
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Xiao Xian Xiong Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Xiao Xian Xiong Tang, Ban Xia is very effective in directing the Rebellious Qi downward, harmonizing the Stomach, transforming Phlegm, eliminating focal distention, and dissipating clumps.
Together Snake gourd - the key herb in this formula - it is excellent for treating focal distention of the chest and diaphragm due to clumping of Phlegm and Heat, or for painful obstruction of the chest due to clumping of sticky and thick Phlegm.
Together with Goldthread rhizome - the deputy herb in this formula - it treats the obstruction caused by Phlegm-Heat by utilizing their combination of bitter, downward-directing, and acrid opening natures.
Read more about Xiao Xian Xiong Tang
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Xuan Bi Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Xuan Bi Tang, Ban Xia dries Dampness and transforms turbidity.
Read more about Xuan Bi Tang
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan, Ban Xia strongly assists the key ingredient (Arisaema with bile) in expelling the Phlegm that has already formed.
Read more about Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Xiao Chai Hu Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Ban Xia warms and transforms Phlegm and turbidity in the Middle Burner.
When combined with another assistant herb in this formula, Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang), it harmonizes the Middle Burner, directs Rebellious Qi downward, and stops nausea and vomiting.
Read more about Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang, Ban Xia works together with Fresh ginger (Sheng Jiang), another assistant herb here, to warm and harmonize the Stomach and direct Qi downward, thereby dispelling the Phlegm and dispersing the focal distention.
Read more about Xuan Fu Dai Zhe Tang
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Xiao Qing Long Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Xiao Qing Long Tang, Ban Xia transforms Phlegm-Fluids and harmonizes the Stomach.
Read more about Xiao Qing Long Tang
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Mai Men Dong Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Mai Men Dong Tang, Ban Xia facilitates the Stomach Qi flow and guides the Qi downward. The warm, acrid, drying nature of this herb is moderated by the moistening herbs in the formula and by its relatively low dosage. In fact, adding a small amount of this acrid, dispersing herb to the formula will assist in the distribution of nourishment from the Middle Burner to the Upper Burner, and redirect the Qi, thereby facilitating the replenishment of Body Fluids in the Lungs.
Read more about Mai Men Dong Tang
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San, Ban Xia harmonizes the Stomach and stops the vomiting.
Read more about Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Bao He Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Bao He Wan, Ban Xia promotes the movement of Qi and transform stagnation, thereby harmonizing the Stomach to stop the nausea and vomiting
Read more about Bao He Wan
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in San Ren Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In San Ren Tang, Ban Xia treats epigastric and abdominal distention due to Dampness or Phlegm
Read more about San Ren Tang
Ban Xia is an assistant ingredient in Da Chai Hu Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Da Chai Hu Tang, Ban Xia harmonizes the Middle Burner and directs the Rebellious Stomach Qi
downward. Together with one of the envoys, Fresh ginger, it can stop vomiting effectively.
Read more about Da Chai Hu Tang
In Wen Jing Tang, Ban Xia tonifies Qi and harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach to strengthen the source of production and transformation so that Yang can produce Yin and the Blood may not be Deficient. It also harmonizes the Uterus via the Stomach channel to which it is connected through the Penetrating Meridian.
Read more about Wen Jing Tang
Key TCM concepts behind Ban Xia's properties
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ban Xia belongs to the 'Warm herbs that transform Phlegm and stop Cough' category. In TCM Phlegm is a condition of Stagnation of Fluids which tends to start in the Spleen and then goes to the Lungs. If this overly accumulates it thickens and becomes pathological Phlegm. Phlegm, being a form of Stagnation, often starts as being Cool and transforms to Hot as the condition progresses. The herbs in this category are Warm in nature so they treat the early stages of the Stagnation: Cold-Phlegm and Wet-Phlegm with symptoms of wheezing, vomiting and nausea.
As suggested by its category Ban Xia is Warm in nature. This means that Ban Xia tends to help people who have too much 'Cold' in their body, although with less effect than a plant that would be Hot in nature. Balance between Yin and Yang is a key health concept in TCM. Those who have too much Cold in their body are said to either have a Yin Excess (because Yin is Cold in nature) or a Yang Deficiency (Yang is Hot in Nature). Depending on your condition Ban Xia can help restore a harmonious balance between Yin and Yang.
Ban Xia also tastes Pungent. The so-called 'Five Phases' theory in Chinese Medicine states that the taste of TCM ingredients is a key determinant of their action in the body. Pungent ingredients like Ban Xia tends to promote the circulations of Qi and Body Fluids. That's why for instance someone tends to sweat a lot when they eat spicy/pungent food.
The tastes of ingredients in TCM also determine what Organs and Meridians they target. As such Ban Xia is thought to target the Lung, the Spleen and the Stomach. In addition to performing respiration, the Lungs are thought in TCM to be a key part of the production chain for Qi and the Body Fluids that nourish the body. The Spleen on the other hand assists with digestion, Blood coagulation and Fluids metabolism in the body. The Stomach is responsible for receiving and ripening ingested food and fluids. It is also tasked with descending the digested elements downwards to the Small Intestine.
Research on Ban Xia
The herbal medicine TJ-109 (consisting of Pinellia tuber) effectively reduced the incidence of acute tonsillitis. 1
Tracheitis Plaster (consisting of Pinellia tuber) is a highly effective transcutaneous absorbent with promising long-term effect and could regulate the immune function.2
Sources:
1. Goto F, Asama Y, Ogawa K. (2010). Sho-saiko-to-ka-kikyo-sekko as an alternative treatment for chronic tonsillitis to avoid surgery. Complement Ther Clin Pract. , 16(4):216-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2010.02.006. Epub 2010 Mar 19.
2. Huo GR, Ma LQ, Huang CH. (2001). Clinical study on treatment of chronic bronchitis by tracheitis plaster. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi, 21(11):816-8.
