Long Dan Cao
Gentianae Radix
bitter, cold
PRIMARY FUNCTION:
Clear Heat and Dry Dampness
CLASSICAL MANIFESTATIONS:
- Sore throat
- Red eyes
- Sore eyes
- Swollen painful ears
- Sudden deafness
- Pain and swelling of the genitals
- Jaundice
- Foul smelling vaginal discharge
- Vaginal itching
- Headache
- Fever
- Spasms
- Flank pain
Long Dan Cao is bitter to drain damp pathologies and detoxify. It is cold to treat patterns due to heat. Long Dan Cao enters the liver, gallbladder, and stomach systems.
Long Dan Cao is an important herb for clearing heat in the liver which in turn clears heat in the blood. It supports liver phase II filtration mechanisms and has a blood moving effect.
Channels: liver, stomach, gallbladder
COMMON APPLICATIONS AND CLINICAL POSSIBILITIES:
- Biliary congestion
- Migraines
- Yeast infections
- Urinary tract infections
- Eczema
- Hypertension
- Jaundice
- Sleep disorders
- Irritability
- Leukorrhea
- High blood pressure
- Eye disorders
- Antimicrobial
- Skin sores
- Ear infections
- Parasitic infections
- Urinary tract infection
Formulas:
- Dang Gui Long Hui Wan
- Long Dan Bi Yuan Fang
- Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
- Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang
Contraindications: do not prescribe Long Dan Cao to patients that present with cold from deficiency patterns
Zoo Image: a cat with red eyes and head is licking it damp heat vagina while two liver and gallbladder dogs pull its tail