Dracocephalum, Pri yang ku པྲི་ཡང་ཀུ

Dragonhead
Pri yang ku (D. tanguticum, Nodding Dragonhead) (Tibet)
Faranjmushk (D. moldavicum) (Unani)
Xiang Qing Lan (D. moldavicum); Yang Qing Lan (D. rupestre) (TCM)

Dracocephalum moldavicum
Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen, Sturm (1796)

Botanical name:

Dracocephalum tanguticum (Tibet); D. fruticulosum has also been mentioned
Dracocephalum moldavicum (syn. Nepeta moldavicum) (Unani)
D. foetidum is listed as a source of Pri yang ku in Mongola (Mongolian Medicine Plants, WHO). It lists D. moldavicum and D. moldavicum var. foetidum as synonyms. D. moldavicum is used in Unani. This suggests D. tanguiticum (Tibet) and D. moldavicum (Unani) could be used synonymously
D. heterophyllum (Jib rtsi dkar po) and D. wallichi (Jib rtsi chen po) are also used similarly in Tibetan Medicine, although are classed as different medicines.

Parts used:

Herb; Aerial parts
Seeds are also used in Unani

Temperature & Taste:

Cool. Bitter, Sweet

Uses:

1. Clears Wind-Heat: (TCM)

–Common cold, Fever
–acute Sore Throat, Cough:
–Lung heat disorders (Bhutan)
-Mouth Sores, Toothache

2. Clears Liver Heat: (Tibet, Unani, TCM)

–heat of the Stomach and Liver (Tibet)
–Dysentery, Jaundice (TCM)

3. Clears Damp-Heat, Opens Obstructions: (Tibet, Unani)

–water retention, Edema, Ascites
–Lymph disorders from Damp-Heat
–Brown-Phlegm (Smug po) disorders (Tibetan Medicine)
–Swellings, Tumors, Cancers

4. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:

–stops Bleeding, and used for Wounds (Tibet)
–used for Bleeding (TCM)

5. Improves Circulation, Benefits Heart and Brain: (Unani)

–regarded as a Heart and Brain tonic (Unani)
–used for Cardiovascular diseases; Cardioprotective effect
–prevents Ischemia
–Altitude Sickness

Dose:

Powder: 2–5 grams

Comment:

Dracocephalum tanguticum (Pri yang ku, Tibet) and D. moldavicum (Faranjmushk, Unani) appear to be equivalent medicines. The latter, or a variety of it is used in Mongolia as a source of Pri yang ku. Further, their uses appear to be similar even though some indications are only noted in one of the systems.

Substitute:

1. Peony herb is used in Buryat region
2. Nepeta staintonii (Pri yang ku dman pa)
3. Salvia hians (‘Jib rtsi nag po) (Tibet)
4. Salvia castanea (Jib rtsi chen po/smug po) (Tibet)

Main Combinations:

1. Skin diseases, Dracocephalum moldavicum with Chicory, Nigella seed, Celery seed, Basil seed, Licorice (Uyghur formula)
2. Cardiovascular disease, Dracocephalum moldavicum with Silkworm Cocoon, Bugloss, Indian Spikenard, Saffron, Lavender, Rose (Uyghur formula)
3. Liver heat, Liver disease, Dracocephalum tanguticum with Meconopsis (Ut pal), Safflower, Tabasheer, Shilajit (as in Safflower 7 of Tibetan Medicine)
4. Liver heat, Hepatitis, Gastritis, Colitis, Liver heat with Liver Wind (Headache, Hypertension), Dracocephalum tanguticum with Sandalwood, the 6 Special Medicines, Chebula, Picrorhiza, Madder (as in Sandalwood 18 of Tibetan Medicine)
5. Altitude Sickness:
Altitude Sickness:
i. Dracocephalum tanguticum with Rhodiola Hong Jing Tianii. Dracocephalum tanguticum with Dang Gui, Astragalus Huang Qi, Rhodiola Hong Jing Tian