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Ophiopogon japonicus, Mai Men Dong 麦门冬
Mai Men Dong (TCM)
Ophiopogon japonicus
Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, vol. 27: 1808
Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, vol. 27: 1808
Ophiopogon root (Adam, 2023)
Botanical name:
Ophiopogon japonicus
In parts of China other species are used including O. bodinieri.
Parts used:
Root
Temperature & Taste:
Neutral/Cool, moist. Sweet, slightly Bitter. (Some said it was slightly Warm)
Classification:
N. Yin Tonic
Ophiopogon japonicus
In parts of China other species are used including O. bodinieri.
Parts used:
Root
Temperature & Taste:
Neutral/Cool, moist. Sweet, slightly Bitter. (Some said it was slightly Warm)
Classification:
N. Yin Tonic
Uses:
1. Nourishes Lung Yin, Stops Cough:
-chronic, hacking, dry Cough from Lung Yin deficiency
-Cough with hard-to-clear mucus
-Hemoptysis
-"pulmonary flaccidity with the spitting of bloody pus" (Da Ming)
2. Clears Stomach Heat, Nourishes Stomach Yin:
-dry mouth and tongue from Stomach Yin deficiency
-"treats indigestion due to overeating ... it improves the depleted Stomach" (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing)
3. Moistens the Intestines:
-constipation from internal dryness with dry mouth and irritability
4. Clears Heat, Settles Wind, Calms the Mind:
-Irritability and Restlessness from Heat and Yin deficiency
-spasms, cramps, paralysis associated with Yin deficiency
-"paralysis and inability to walk" (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-"eliminates Heat in the Heart, stops restlessness" (Chen Cang Ji)
-"Long-term use makes one feel happy" (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing)
-"keeps the person in high Spirits" (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
5. Nourishes Yin and Essence:
-promotes Longevity (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing)
-"enhances the Yin and reinforces the Jing [Essence]" (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-"helps one put on weight, keep young looking and become more productive" .(Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-"fills the Marrow"
-"it turns white hair black" (Che Cang Ji)
Dose:
Decoction: 6–15 grams
Powder: 2–5 grams
Comment:
"It is a principal drug in practicing long fasting" (Tao Hong Jing)
Substitutes:
1. Asparagus root
2. In some parts of China, Liriope spicata and L. muscari are used.
Preparation:
In the past when used as a tonic it was recommended to soak in wine, then pound it and dry. (Li Shi Zhen)
Decoction: 6–15 grams
Powder: 2–5 grams
Comment:
"It is a principal drug in practicing long fasting" (Tao Hong Jing)
Substitutes:
1. Asparagus root
2. In some parts of China, Liriope spicata and L. muscari are used.
Preparation:
In the past when used as a tonic it was recommended to soak in wine, then pound it and dry. (Li Shi Zhen)
Main Combinations:
-Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong with Asparagus Tian Men Dong
These are often combined in TCM for Lung and Kidney Yin deficiency with Consumption, Coughing of Blood and dryness. They nourish the Yin of the Lungs, Heart, Stomach and Kidneys.
-Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong with Rehmannia Di Huang
Rehmannia was said to be its guiding drug. It leads it to the Kidney and enhances its ability to nourish Yin and Jing [Essence]. "It disperses all invading vicious agents in the body. It is effective only when assisted by the guiding drug. If there is no guiding drug, it does not work effectively". However this combination was only said to be useful for those with Heat and a strong digestion. (Li Shi Zhen)
1. Cough:
i. from heat and dryness with hard-to-clear phlegm, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong with Eriobotrya Pi Pa Ye, Mulberry leaf (Sang Ye)
ii. with excess Phlegm, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong with Tangerine peel (Chen Pi), Pinellia Ban Xia, Coltsfoot flower (Kuan Dong Hua), Licorice, Platycodon Jie Geng, Bitter Almond kernel (Ku Xing Ren) (as in Zhi Ke Ju Hong Kou Fu Ye)
iii. Chronic Dry Cough, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong with Lilium Bai He, Fritillaria Chuan Bei Mu, Scrophularia Xuan Shen, Dang Gui, Paeonia Bai Shao, Licorice, Platycodon Jie Geng (as in Bai He Gu Jin Tang)
iv. Cough, Wheezing, from Lung Yin and Qi deficiency, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi with Ginseng, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong (Sheng Mai San)
2. Sore, dry Throat from Yin deficiency and Heat, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong with Scrophularia Xuan Shen (Figwort) and Licorice
3. Fever of Consumtpion, Lycium Cortex Di Gu Pi with Bupleurum Chai Hu (as in Di Gu Pi San)
4. Damage to fluids after febrile disease, Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae) with Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong
5. Stomach Yin deficiency with Dry mouth, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong with Soloman's Seal (Yu Zhu)
6. Thirst, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong with Prunus mume Wu Mei
7. Wasting and Thirsting (Diabetes-like disorder):
i. Lung and Stomach Yin deficiency, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong with with Anemarrhena Zhi Mu, Glehnia Sha Shen, Trichosanthes Tian Hua Fen (as in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang)
ii. from Stomach Fire with Yin deficiency, Gypsum (Shi Gao) with Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang, Anemarrhena Zhi Mu and Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong (as in Yu Nu Jian)
8. Heart Yin deficiency with Insomnia, Restlessness, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Asparagus root Tian Men Dong, Polygala Yuan Zhi, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Ziziphus Suan Zao Ren (as in Tian Wang Bu Xin Wan)
9. To restore a normal pulse:
i. Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Ginseng, Rehmannia Shu Di Huang, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi.
ii. Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Rehmannia Shu Di Huang, Lycium Gou Qi Zi (GoJi), Schisandra Wu Wei Zi. (Kou Zong Shi)
Major Formulas:
Mai Men Dong Tang
Bai He Gu Jin Tang
Da Ding Feng Zhu
Di Gu Pi San
Gou Teng San
San Jia Fu Mai Tang
Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang
Sheng Mai San
Tian Wang Bu Xin Wan
Yi Guan Jian
Zhi Ke Ju Hong Kou Fu Ye
Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang
Cautions:
Generally safe and well tolerated.
1. Not used in internal Coldness or Damp and weakness of the Digestive system.
Main Preparations used:
Generally safe and well tolerated.
1. Not used in internal Coldness or Damp and weakness of the Digestive system.
Main Preparations used: