Changium, Ming Dang Shen 明党参

Bright Changium root
Ming Dang Shen (TCM)

Botanical name:

Changium smyrnioides (syn. Conopodium smyrnioides)

Parts used:

Root

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, moist. Sweet, slightly Bitter

Classification:

P. Clears Hot Phlegm

Uses:

1. Moistens the Lungs, Transforms Phlegm:

-Wind-Heat or Lung-heat Cough, Bronchitis with Yin deficiency
-acute dry Cough with hard-to-clear Phlegm
-can be used for Cough and Wheezing from Heat or Deficiency

2. Nourishes Yin, Harmonizes the Stomach:

-Heat and dryness of the Stomach following Febrile disease
-Poor appetite with Dry mouth, belching, nausea, vomiting
-Anemia
-supports Spleen Qi (but not with sinking Qi with prolapse or loose stool)

3. Settles Liver, Resists Toxin:

-Red and sore Eyes from Liver Heat
-Vertigo, Dizziness from Liver heat
-Boils, Toxic Sores

Dose:

Decoction: 4–12 grams (10–30 grams fresh)

Comment:

This was used as a local substitute for Ginseng (where it was traditionally called Tu Ren Shen). It has a similar nature but is much weaker. However, its tonic action is mild, and it is more moistening than Ginseng with a downward quality.

Substitutes:

1. Codonopsis Dang Shen
2. Adenophora Sha Shen

Preparation:

Ginger-fried Changium
The root slices are soaked briefly in Ginger juice, then stir-fried until dry. This corrects its overly moist nature and helps it tonify Spleen Qi.

Main Combinations:

1. Chronic Dry Cough with Heat and Yin deficiency, Changium with Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Fritillaria cirrhosa Chuan Bei Mu
2. Cough and Wheezing from Lung Qi and Yin deficiency, Changium with Astragalus Huang Qi, Mulberry bark (Sang Bai Pi), Aster Zi Wan, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi.
3. Lung Heat Cough, Changium with Mulberry bark (Sang Bai Pi), Eriobotrya (Loquat leaf) Pi Pa Ye, Licorice
4. Stomach Heat and dryness following Fever, Changium with Bamboo shavings (Zhu Ru), Dendrobium Shi Hu
5. Yin deficiency, Changium with Poria Fu Ling
6. Fatigue, Anemia, Changium fresh root (30 grams), slice finely and cook with 2 eggs.
7. Hypertension, Changium with Achyranthes Niu Xi
8. Boils, Toxic Sores, Changium with Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying), Violet (Zi Hua Di Ding)

Major Formulas:

Cautions:

1. Not used during Pregnancy.
2. Not used for Spleen/digestive weakness with loose stool.

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