Wu Mei
Mume Fructus
sour, astringent, warm
PRIMARY FUNCTION:
Stabilize and Bind
CLASSICAL MANIFESTATIONS: -- Chronic cough
- Chronic diarrhea
- Dysentery
- Diabetes
- Parasites
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Blood in stool
- Menometrorrhagia
- Warts
- Corns
Wu Mei herb has an affinity for the lung and the large intestines. It enters the lung, large intestine, liver, and spleen channels but the channels do not always describe the effect on the organs. Channel theory overlaps organ theory but it is sometimes useful to separate them conceptually for diagnosis and treatment.
The stabilize and bind category of herbs treats the leakage of body fluids and functions that should be holding. These herbs, including Wu Mei, should be considered branch treatment as the root of the leakage needs to be treated and is usually caused from a deficiency pattern. Wu Mei does treat at least one excess pattern (parasites) but it is worth noting that a strong healthy gastrointestinal tract is naturally resistant to parasite infection. The stomach is extremely acidic (1.2 pH) and acts as an acid bath that kills off any foreign intruders. The sour quality of Wu Mei increases yang fluids (acid) and might be considered as aspect of spleen yang and the stomach descending function. The rest of the gastrointestinal tract is full of healthy bacteria (microbiome) and GALT (gut associated lymphoid tissue) that resist pathogens.
The sour and astringent quality of Wu Mei helps to restrain or hold in excess blood from deficiency (spleen not controlling blood). This helps bleeding of the anus and excess menstrual bleeding. It is this same astringent and sour combination that helps in patients with chronic cough.
Channels: liver, spleen, lung, large intestine
COMMON APPLICATIONS AND CLINICAL POSSIBILITIES:
- Antiparasitic
- Antidiarrheal
- Dysenteric disorders
- Cervical cancer adjunct treatment
- Corns
- Warts
- Tinea fungus
- Biliary congestion
- Prohistamine
- Indigestion
- Diabetes fecal incontinence
Formulas:
- Jiu Xian San
- Li Zhong An Hui Tang
- Lian Mei An Hui Tang
- Wu Mei Wan
Contraindications: Wu Mei should not be prescribed to patients that have internal heat caused by excess or caused by stagnation, and should be discontinued during acute external attacks
Zoo Image: a mummy camel walking out of the water with a roundworm is coughing while his bandages are coming loose to let lung qi escape, two corks are holding in his blood but his leaky diarrhea is attracting flies and he is about to slip on some corn