Corydalis meifolia, Stong zil སྟོང་ཟིལ

Stong zil (Tibet)

Corydalis meifolia
Wallich, N., Tentamen florae Napalensis illustratae (1826)

Corydalis gortschakovii
Gartenflora [E. von Regel] (1885)

Corydalis govaniana
Illustrations of the Botany … of the Himalayan Mountains, Royle, 1839

Corydalis cashmeriana
(Photo by DoF CC-BY-X) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:

Corydalis spp.
Blue and Yellow-flowered varieties are mentioned in texts, the Blue regarded as superior although Kletter mentions C. meifolia being the species collected in Northern India.

Stong zil ser po: Yellow-flowered (Inferior): C. meifolia, C. boweri, C. dubia, C. hamata, C. megacalyx
Stong zil sngon po: Blue-flowered (Superior): C. trachycarpa, C. binderae, C. cashmeriana
Stong ri zil pa: Corydalis conspersa; C. calliantha (in Bhutan)

Also listed for Stong zil are C. thyrisiflora (syn. Corydalis gortschakovii), C. govaniana; C. hookeri (in Nepal)

Parts used:

Aerial parts of the herb or the whole plant; occasionally the Root

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, dry. Bitter

Uses:

1. Clears Wind-Heat, Resists Toxin:

-Cold, Fever, Infections; ‘Hidden Fever’
-Skin diseases; Syphilis (root)
-pain of the muscles

2. Clears Liver Heat, Benefits the Eyes:

-Abdominal pain; Cholecystitis
-Headache
-eye pain, redness, soreness
-Lymphatic congestion, Scrofula
-fresh root juice is applied to clear and improve eyesight

3. Clears Wind-Damp:

-Rheumatism
-swelling of the Feet

4. Clears Heat, Stops Cough

-Cough, Whooping Cough, Bronchitis
-Asthma, respiratory disorders

5. Externally:

-applied to swellings and burns

Dose:

Powder: 1–3 grams

Substitutes:

1. Tibetan physicians have reportedly used Swertia (Tig ta) or Picrorhiza (Hong len) as substitutes.
2. In Nepal, Stong zil has been used as a substitute for Corydalis Re skon, meaning that the latter can supply Stong zil if needed.
3. Celandine (Chelidonium majus) is used in Buryat.

Main Combinations:

1. Skin diseases, Abscesses, Itching, Elephantiasis, Corydalis meifolia Stong zil with Triphala, Costus, Frankincense, Psoralea (Bu Gu Zhi), Cassia tora seed, Shilajit (as in Codonopsis 18 of Tibetan Medicine)

Major Formulas:

Codonopsis 18 (Tibetan Medicine)
Cantharide 37 (Tibetan Meidicine)

Cautions:

None noted

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Herb categories: Stong zil