葶藶子
Lepidium seed (Tinglizi)
Pharmaceutical Name: Semen Lepiddi seu Descurainiae
Botanical Name: 1. Lepidium apetalum Willd.. 2. Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb et prantl
Common Name: Lepidium seed, Descurainia seed
Source of Earliest Record: Shennong Bencao Jing
Part Used: The whole plant is harvested in the period of the Beginning of Summer (seventh solar term) and dried in the sun. Then the seeds are collected.
Natural Properties & Taste: Bitter, pungent and very cold
Meridians: Lung and urinary bladder
Therapeutic Effects:
1. To reduce phlegm in the lungs and soothe asthma.
2. To promote urination and reduce edema.
Indications:
1. Retention of phlegm fluid in the lungs manifested as cough with profuse sputum, asthma, fullness and distension in the chest and hypochondriac region, asthma in which patient cannot lie flat and edema of the face. Lepidium seed (Tinglizi) is used with Jujube (Dazao) in the formula Tingli Dazao Xiefei Tang.
2. Edema or dysuria. Lepidium seed (Tinglizi) is used with Tetrandra root (Fangji) and Rhubarb (Dahuang) in the formula Ji Jiao Li Huang Wan.
Dosage: 3-10 g
