Ma Huang Gen麻黃根
Radix EphedraeEphedra Root
- Category
- Herbs that stabilize and bind
- Nature
- neutral
- Taste
- sweet
- Channels entered
- Lung
- Secondary channels
- Heart
- Dosage
- 3–10 g
Usual doses
- Dosage
- 3–10 g
- Tincture
- 1–3 ml
Actions & indications
- Stops sweat due to Deficiency
- Sweating due to Qi Deficiency
- Nightsweats due to Yin Deficiency
- Postpartum sweating
Contraindications
Not to be used in patients with an exterior disorder.
Combinations
Persistent, unrelenting spontaneous sweating
Nightsweats
Nightsweats, or excessive sweating after childbirth
Spontaneous sweating that worsens at night
Pulverized and applied to the abdomen for unrelenting postpartum sweating
Combined with Duan Long Gu for pathological sweating from Deficiency causing disharmony between Ying and Wei.
Notes
- Whereas Hb. Ephedrae Ma Huang promotes sweating, Rx. Ephedrae Ma Huang Gen has the opposite effect and checks it.
- Ma Huang Gen and Concha Ostreae Mu Li share the ability to restrain sweating arising from Qi and Yin Deficiency. Ma Huang Gen works solely by astringing against the outward leakage of fluid, nothing more. Mu Li, being heavy, holds down the Yin and anchors the Yang, which makes it especially suited to nightsweats from Yin Deficiency, and it additionally settles the Spirit.
- Ma Huang Gen is frequently paired with Fr. Tritici Levis Fu Xiao Mai, another sweat-stopping herb, to treat spontaneous sweating and nightsweats. Fu Xiao Mai achieves this by boosting Qi and clearing Heat, whereas Ma Huang Gen acts purely through astringency — it neither tonifies Qi, cools the Heart, nor clears Heat.