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Toxicodendron, Gan Qi 干漆

Chinese Lacquer tree
Gan Qi (TCM)
Toxicodendron vernicifluum
Kämpher (Kaempfer), Amoenitatum exoticarum, (1712)

Toxicodendron vernicifluum
(Photo by Maghasito) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:
Toxicodendron vernicifluum

Parts used:
Resin

Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Bitter, Pungent. Toxic

Classification:
K. Move the Blood

Uses:
1. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis:
-Amenorrhea
-abdominal Masses from Blood stagnation
-Trauma; 'knits tendons and bones' (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, TCM)
-Lumbago
-Tumors, Cancer; 'dissolves solid and hard stagnation and accumulations that have lasted for years'. (Zhang Yuan Su, TCM)
-considered effective for long-standing Blood stagnation; 'Dredges through the Channels'. (Zhen Quan, TCM)

2. Settles Wind, Clears Damp:
-Wind-Cold-Damp muscles and Joint pain (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, TCM)
-'Five kinds of Paralysis'. (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, TCM)
-Disperses invading pathogenic Wind'. (Da Ming, TCM)

3. Promotes Digestion:
-Cachexia or chronic weakness associated with poor digestion and blood stagnation
-Rickets, weakness or wasting in Children

4. Kills Worms:
-abdominal pain due to Worms
-'Kills (the) Three Worms'. (Zhen Quan, TCM)


DOSE:
Only used in Pills or Powders, not decocted.
Of the Prepared Resin in Pills or Powders: 60–100mg as a dose (Bensky)

COMMENT:
Older TCM authorities often accounted it as having tonic qualities: 'fills the Marrow and Brain' .. 'Long-term use makes one feel happy and vigorous and able to enjoy a long life'. (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, TCM)

PREPARATION:
It is prepared by breaking to pieces then burning until it withers and stops giving off dark fumes. (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)

SUBSTITUTE:
1. Lacca can be substituted as it has similar effects but is not toxic.

Main Combinations:
1. Amenorrhea with lower abdominal pain:
i. Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised), Achyranthes Niu Xi (equal parts); simmer in Rehmannia juice (Sheng Di Huang) until a pill mass is formed from which make pills the size of parasol seeds. Begin taking one pill as a dose, increasing to 3 or 5 pills. (Zhi Nan Fang, TCM)
ii. Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) with Peach kernel (Tao Ren), Costus (Mu Xiang), Dang Gui, Paeonia Chi Shao Yao, Cinnamon, Sal Ammoniac. Make pills and take with Ginger wine. (Sheng Hui)
iii. Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) with Rhubarb, Amber, Saltpeter, Corydalis Yan Hu Suo, Zedoary (E Zhu), Sal Ammoniac, Cinnamon. (Sheng Hui)
2. Irregular Menstruation with abdominal pain from Qi and Blood stagnation, Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) (9 grams), Dang Gui (12 grams), grind into powder, make honey pills teh size of parasol seeds. Take 15 pills per dose with wine before meals. (Chan Bao, TCM)
3. Severe abdominal pain in females, Toxicodendron Gan Qi is stewed in water, then powdered Toxicodendron Gan Qi is added and pills are formed the size of parasol seeds. Take 3 or 4 pills with wine. (Jing Yan Fang, TCM)
4. Chronic Blood Stagnation, Masses or Tumors, Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) with Rhubarb (Da Huang), Bitter Almond (Ku Xing Ren), Paeonia Bai Shao, Licorice (as in Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan)
5. Chronic Blood Stagnation with Deficiency:
i. Kidney weakness and Lumbago, Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) with Rehmannia Shu Di Huang, Paeonia Bai Shao, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Cornus Shan Zhu Yu, Lycium Gou Qi Zi (Goji) (as in Qi Wei Gan Qi San)
ii. Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) with Rhemannia Shu Di Huang, Cornus Shan Zhu Yu, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Achyranthes Niu Xi, Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Licorice (Gan Cao), Cinnamon, Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi), Velvet Deer Horn (Lu Rong) (as in Gan Qi Wan from Sheng Hui)
6. Abdominal masses from Qi and Blood stagnation:
i. Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised), with Croton seed (prepared), Cyperus rotundus, Safflower, Rhubarb (vinegar-prepared), Costus (Mu Xiang), Curcuma Yu Jin, Sal Ammoniac (as in Fu Ke Tong Jing Pills)
ii. Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) with Rhubarb (Da Huang), Borax (Peng Sha), Toxicodendron resin Gan Qi, Croton Ba Dou. (as in San Leng Wan from Yi Xue Qie Wen [Pulse-taking and Interrogation on Medical Science]).
7. Heart pain, Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised); powder, simmer in vinegar with wheat flour, then form pills the size of a parasol seed. Dose is 5–9 pills with hot water. (Jian Yao Ji Zhong Fang, TCM)
8. Cold Joint Pain from Kidney Yang deficiency with Blood stagnation, Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) with Velvet Deer Horn (Lu Rong), Rehmannia Shu Di Huang, Aconitum Fu Zi, made into Pills (as in Gan Qi Wan from Ji Feng)
9. Blood stasis in the Bladder Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) with Safflower (Hong Hua), Peach kernel (Tao Ren), Rhubarb (Da Huang)
10. Rickets, Wasting in Children, cook rice with Coptis Huang Lian and Citrus Chen Pi, add a little Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) powder.
11. Cancer, Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) with Citrus Zhi Ke, Agrimony (Xian He Cao), Strychnos Ma Qian Zi (Nux Vomica), Alum (Bai Fan), Niter (Xiao Shi) (as in Ping Xiao Dan)
12. Chronic Dysentery, Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) with Arsenic, Cinnabar, Musk, defatted Croton seed (Sheng Hui)
13. Worms, Mix powdered Toxicodendron Gan Qi with Ping Wei San (a formula) to make pills the size of parasol seeds. (Zhi Zhi Fang, TCM)

Major Formulas:
Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan
Ping Xiao Dan

Cautions:
1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Not used in Stomach weakness.

Main Preparations used: