Sophora, Ku Shen 苦参

Ku Shen (TCM)
Sophora japonica
Duhamel du Monceau, H.L., Traité des arbres et arbustes, Nouvelle édition, vol. 3 (1806)

Sophora flavescens
(Photo by Dalgial) (Wikimedia)

Sophora Ku Shen from the Chengdu Medicine Market (Adam 2023)

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Botanical name:
Sophora flavescens (syn. S. alopecuroides, S. angustifoliola, S. chinensis, S. korolkowii)

Parts used:
Root

Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Bitter

Classifications:
B. Clears Heat and Damp

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Uses:
1. Clears Damp-Heat:
-acute Dysentery with blood in the stool
-purulent and blood-streaked Leukorrhea
-Vaginal itching and discharge; Genital Sores
-Alcoholism (Ming Yi Bie Lu)

2. Settles Wind, Clears Heat, Stops Itching:
-Eczema, Psoriasis, Leprosy
-Sores and Rashes with exudation, itchiness and bleeding
-itchy skin, Scabies

3. Clears Damp-Heat, Promotes Urine:
-painful, dribbling urine
-Edema from Damp-Heat
-'treats jaundice and urinary dripping' (Shen Nong Ben Cao)

4. Clears Damp, Resolves Masses:
-it has become an important herb for various Cancers
-available in injectable form in China

5. Clears Lung Heat, Stops Cough:
-occasionally used for Lung Heat Cough with yellow, sticky Phlegm

6. Kills Worms and Parasites:
-previously used for Worms and Parasites (Su Gong, Li Shi Zhen)

7. Externally:
-as a wash for itchy skin diseases and rashes
-douches and washes for Trichomonas vaginitis, Vaginal Itching, and Leukorrhea
-strong decoction is used as a wash for Lice


Dose:
Powder: 1–3 grams

Preparation:
... available in PRO version

Main Combinations:
1. Itchiness of the Skin, Rashes:
i. and weeping skin lesions, Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
ii. Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
iii. Damp-Heat sores and rashes, Sophora Ku Shen ... available in PRO version
iv. weeping skin lesions, Sophora Ku Shen ... available in PRO version
2. Eczema:
i. Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
ii. Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
3. Psoriasis, Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
4. Scabies, Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
5. Genital itching and or Genital rashes from Damp-Heat, Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
6. Leukorrhea from Damp-Heat:
i. Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
ii. Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
7. Dysentery from Damp-Heat, Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
8. Blood in the stool, Anal fistula, Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
9. Bleeding from Heat, Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
10. Lung Heat Cough, Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version
11. Cancer:
i. Sophora Ku Shen and ... available in PRO version
ii. Sophora Ku Shen, ... available in PRO version
12. As a wash for Lice, Sophora Ku Shen with ... available in PRO version

Major Formulas:
Xiao Feng San
Dang Gui Nian Tong Tang

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Cautions:
1. Caution in cold and weakness of the Stomach.
2. Some people may experience dizziness, nausea, vomiting
3. Allergic reactions occasionally occur, primarily maculopapular rashes.

Drug Interactions:
1. Incompatible with Veratrum (Li Lu)
2. Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong counteracts Sophora Ku Shen
3. Sophora Ku Shen antagonizes Cuscuta Tu Si Zi (Dodder seed) and Fritillaria Bei Mu. (TCM)

Main Preparations used:

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