Klu bdud bco brgyad  ཀླུ་བདུད་བཅོ་བརྒྱད།
Dang Shen Shi Ba Wei Wan 党参十八味丸 (TCM)
Codonopsis 18
Also known as Gu gul bco brgyad  གུ་གུལ་བཅོ་བརྒྱད།
Bdellium 18 (or Myrrh 18)

Tradition:

Tibetan

Source / Author:

* Two different sources have given different proportions.
** Musk substitutes are used today
*** the version from Men Tsee Kang lists Catechu (Stod ja) instead of Crab shell.
**** Dactylorhiza hatagirea has been listed by some sources. Many species of Orchid supply the market.

Another version:

* Two different sources have given different proportions. The left column is from Men Tsee Kang. The right column from Amdo Compendium
** Amdo Compendium lists Gu gul nag po (Myrrh) instead of Bdellium.
*** Amdo Compendium lists Sman Chen (Aconitum ferox). Some sources list Delphinium brunonianum
**** The Men Tsee Kang version (left column) originally listed 300 grams of Aconite. Today, 100 grams is typically used.

Preparation:

Powder and form Pills of 250mg each.

Function:

Tonifies Qi, Clears Wind and Damp, clears “Yellow Water”, Moves the Blood, Eases Pain

Use:

“Especially helps with ‘bam and grum bu diseases [arthritis and rheumatism]” (Men Tsee Kang)
1. Pain, swelling and redness of the joints with difficult flexion and extension of the joints
2. Gout
3. Arthritis, Rheumatism, Rheumatoid Arthritis
4. Swelling and pain of the Bones and Joints with dark or purplish color
5. Difficulty in flexing and extension the limbs
6. Edema, Swelling of the legs
7. Scoliosis
8. Paralysis
9. Sinusitis, chronic Rhinitis
10. Lymphatic disorders, Lymphatic swelling
11. Disorders of Serous Fluid (Damp) with Fever
12. Abscess
13. Skin inflammations
14. Rashes and redness of the skin
15. Obstinate Skin diseases with redness and itching, Eczema, Psoriasis
16. Elephantiasis, Leprosy
17. Used for Cancer
18. Also Female diseases with Blood stagnation

Dose:

8–12 pills (2–3 grams), 2–3 times daily after meals, taken with hot water

Comment:

Klu bdud rdo rje (Codonopsis) as used in Tibetan Medicine refers to the aerial parts, while Codonopsis Dang Shen of TCM uses the root. However, according to several sources, it has become common to use the root from Chinese Medicine for Klu bdud rdo rje. Codonopsis nervosa is used in Sichuan as a source of Codonopsis Dang Shen, meaning that C. nervosa is a Qi tonic.

Cautions:

1. Due to the large dose of Aconite, this formula is potentially toxic. Avoid overdose.
2. Not used in the elderly, children, pregnant women.

Modifications:

There are several variations: some list Acacia catechu and Oxytropis reniformis in place of Shilajit and Tinospora.

Similar Formulas:

Frankincense 10 (Spos dkar bcu pa) is a similar, but more simple formula

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