Hypecoum, Par pa ta པར་པ་ཏ
Par pa ta (Tibetan Medicine)
Xi Guo Jiao Hui Xiang (TCM)
Botanical name:
Hypecoum leptocarpum
According to some Russian sources, H. erectum is also used.
In Greek and Unani medicine, H. procumbens has been used. Both Dioscorides and Galen mention its effects to be similar to Opium.
Parts used:
Whole plant
Temperature & Taste:
Cool, dry. Bitter
Uses:
1. Clears Heat, Resists Poison:
-Epidemic and Infectious diseases with excess Heat (Bile); Typhoid Fever
-Common Cold or Flu with Fever (TCM)
-Fever due to Poison; General Antidote
-Acute Sore Throat, Headache
-diseases with excess Heat (Bile) and Toxin
2. Clears Heat, Cools the Blood:
-‘Blood Fever’ (Heat in the blood)
-Pneumonia
-Liver heat disorders, Hepatitis
-Bleeding from excess Heat
-Dermatitis and skin disease from Blood heat
3. Settles Wind:
-also used for Hypertension
Dose:
Powder: 1–3 grams
Comment:
Hypecoum leptocarpum is the standard species used in Tibetan Medicine; it is priimarily used for Epidemic diseases with Fever, especially when there is excess Bile. In Greek and Unani medicine. H. procumbens has been listed and is said to be similar to Opium in effect. It is possible that the species are similar in effect as the latter (H. procumbens) has demonstrated anti-viral, anti-bacterial, antipyretic and analgesic effects.
Substitute:
1. Fumitory
According to Russian sources the following herbs are also used as Par pa ta:
2. Arabis hirsuta, A. pendula
3. Leptopyrum fumarioides
4. Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
Main Combinations:
1. Fever, Inflammation, Headache, Hypecoum with Picrorhiza, Swertia, Barberry (as in Swertia 8)
2. Infectious Fever, Pestilential Swellings, Toothache, Hypecoum with Pterocephalus, Tabasheer, Safflower, Myrrh, Red Sandalwood, Bezoar, Shilajit (as in Pterocephalus 12)
3. Chronic Fever, Compound Poison, Hypecoum with Triphala, Shilajit, Costus, Picrorhiza, Safflower
Major Formulas:
Swertia 8 (Tig ta brgyad pa) (Tibetan)
Great Decoction 25 (Thang Chen Nyer Inga) (Tibetan)
Influenza Pills (Lo gyon ril bu) (Tibetan)
Notopterygium 29 Pills (Spru nag nyer dgu) (Tibetan)
Cautions:
1. Avoid overdose. Narcotic in large doses. Juice is said to resemble Opium in effect.
2. Not used in Pregnancy
Main Preparations used:
1. ANTI-OXIDANT
2. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
3. ANTI-PYRETIC
4. ANTI-VIRAL
5. ANTI-BACTERIAL
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