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Scrophularia, Figwort, Xuan Shen 玄参

Xuan Shen (Chinese Figwort)
Gyer shing pa  གཡེར་ཤིང་པ  (Tibetan)
Herbarum Vivae Eicones, Otto Brunfels, 1530

Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1806

Flora von Deutschland (17), Kohler, 1884
Botanical name:
Scrophularia spp.
  1. S. nodosa (West)
  2. S. ningpoensis, S. buergeriana (TCM)
  3. S. incisa, S. ningpoensis, S. koelzii (Tibetan)

Parts used:
Root

Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry (warm in the West). Bitter

Classifications:
2D ATTENUATERS OF CONGEALED BLOOD

Uses:
1. Clears Heat, Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis, Resolves Masses (TCM, West):
-Lymphatic Swellings, Scrofula, Lymphadenitis etc.
-various Tumors and Cancers in both east and west; Matthiolus listed it for Cancer
-‘fit to discuss the most obstinate Tumors’ (Medicina Britannica, 1746).
-Hemorrhoids
-chronic Liver diseases with inflammation.
-chronic inflammation with exudation due to low vitality.
-chronic Ulcers, Fistulas (int. and topically)

2. Clears Heat and Poison from the Blood (TCM, West):
-obstinate and chronic skin diseases including Eczema, Psoriasis, Leprosy, chronic itching
-‘redness, spots and freckles in the Face’.
-Secondary Syphilis.

3. Clears Heat and Toxin, Benefits the Throat (TCM, West):
-heat and toxin type swellings of the throat including Tonsillitis.
-chronic Sore Throat, and those with Heat, Toxin, and Yin deficiency.

4. Clears Deficient Heat, Benefits the Yin (TCM, West):
-useful for conditions associated with both Yin deficiency and heat, including chronic infections, chronic fevers, and the aftermath of various chronic diseases.
-adjunct in the treatment of Diabetes etc.

5. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation (West):
-although infrequently used for this purpose, it has been found successful to relieve the pain of Menstruation if the decoction is taken freely.
-restores Lochial Discharge.
-female Debility (King’s).
-Postpartum Heat by some Chinese authorities (Bensky)

6. Promotes Urine, Benefits the Kidneys (West):
-‘They exert an unusually excellent influence on the Kidneys, moderately promoting the flow of urine, relieving torpor, and imparting a soothed and toned impression to these organs’. (Cooks Dispenstaory)

7. Kills Worms (West).

8. Externally:
-externally (and internally) as a Wound herb; Wounds, Bruising, Hematomas, inflammations of the Breast etc.
-ointment may be used on all Swellings, Nodes, Scrophula, Ringworm, Gout, Eczema, Hemorrhoids etc.
-‘dries up the superfluous moisture of hollow and corroding ulcers’ (Culpeper)
-‘virulent Tumors that pit not, and to soften Malignant Tumors, as Scrophulas, &c.’ (Schroder)
-‘Its juice cleanses the most putrid Ulcers, even though carcinomatous [cancerous]’ (Medicina Britannica, Thomas Short, 1746)
-powdered root is sprinkled on moist Ulcers.
-distilled water is used for Pimples and Redness of the Face
-Earache, with Saltpeter (Bock)


DOSE:
6–15 grams in decoction; 1–3 grams in Powder.

NOTE:
The appearance, functions, uses and constituents of the Eastern and Western species of Scrophularia are similar enough to be considered synonymous. The Chinese Xuan Shen may be used in place of Figwort.

Main Combinations:
1. Scrofula, Neck Swellings:
i. from Heat and Yin deficiency, Figwort with Comfrey root
ii. from heat and toxin, Figwort with Burdock root and Bittersweet
iii. from heat and toxin, Figwort with Black Nightshade
iv. with Heat, Figwort with Self Heal
v. Heat and Toxin, Figwort with Bittersweet
vi. Figwort with China root and Agrimony
vii. Figwort, Self Heal, Kelp
viii. Scrophularia Xuan Shen with Oyster shell (TCM)
ix. Scrofula, with Scrophularia Xuan Shen, Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao), Forsythia Lian Qiao (TCM)
2. Lymphadenitis, Poke root with Figwort root
3. Chronic Sore Throat:
i. from Heat and Toxin, Scrophularia Xuan Shen with Burdock seed and Licorice
ii. from Heat and Yin deficiency, Scrophularia Xuan Shen with Rehmannia Sheng Di (TCM)
iii. Sore, dry Throat from Yin deficiency and Heat, with Scrophularia Xuan Shen with Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong and Licorice
4. Furuncles, Boils and Abscesses Scrophularia Xuan Shen, Chrysanthemum indicum (Ye Ju Hua), Coptis Huang Lian
5. Erysipelas and Purpuric Rashes, Scrophularia Xuan Shen with Paeonia Mu Dan Pi (TCM)
6. Obstinate skin diseases, Figwort, Borage, Fumitory
7. Psoriasis, Figwort with Red Clover, Nettle, Cleavers
8. Scaly chronic skin conditions, Figwort with Yellow Dock root
9. Hard Swellings, Figwort with Polypody, Betony and Cyclamen (Wirtzung)
10. Cancer, Figwort with Herb Robert, Agrimony, Tormentil, Nettle seed, Elder flower, Rosemary (as in Decoction for Cancer)
11. Lung Cancer, Figwort, Comfrey, Elecampane, Licorice
12. Diabetes, Figwort with Mistletoe, Comfrey root, Feverfew
13. Low-Grade fever, thirst, Scrophularia Xuan Shen, Dendrobium Shi Hu, with Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang
14. As a plaster for Tumors and Swellings, Figwort with Foxglove, Hounds Tongue, White Dead Nettle

Major Formulas:
Decoction of Figwort
Decoction for Cancer (Fuller)
Wine for Scrophula (Renodeus)
Electuary of Figwort (Avicenna)
Bai He Gu Jin Tang
Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang
Tian Wan Bu Xin Wan
Zi Xue Dan

Cautions:
Not used in Cold and Weak digestion

Main Preparations used:
Distilled Water of the root

1. Oil of Figwort.
i. Fresh herb and root of Figwort (3 parts), Olive oil (1 part). Infuse, express.