What are the effects and uses of the traditional Chinese medicine Qinjiao (Gentiana macrophylla root)?

Qinjiao (Gentiana macrophylla root), also known as Qinjiao, Qinjiu, Zuo Qinjiao and so on, is the dried root of Gentiana macrophylla, Gentiana straminea and Gentiana crassicaulis of the genus Gentiana in the family Gentianaceae. Used as medicine, it has the effects of dispelling wind-dampness, clearing damp-heat, relieving arthralgia pain and reducing deficiency fever. It has a therapeutic effect on wind-damp arthralgia, hemiplegia after stroke, contracture of tendons and vessels, aching pain of bones and joints, damp-heat jaundice, bone-steaming tidal fever and so on. Let us take a look at the effects and uses of Qinjiao below!

The medicinal effects of Qinjiao (Gentiana macrophylla root)

[Nature and flavor] Pungent and bitter in flavor, neutral in nature.

[Meridian entry] Stomach, liver and gallbladder meridians.

[Effects] Dispels wind-dampness, clears damp-heat, relieves arthralgia pain, reduces deficiency fever. It mainly treats wind-damp arthralgia, hemiplegia after stroke, contracture of tendons and vessels, aching pain of bones and joints, damp-heat jaundice, bone-steaming tidal fever, and fever in children with malnutrition and accumulation.

Related discussions on Qinjiao (Gentiana macrophylla root)

1. "Shennong Bencao Jing": It mainly treats cold and heat pathogenic qi, cold-damp wind arthralgia, pain of the limbs and joints, promotes urination, and makes urination free.

2. "Mingyi Bielu": It treats wind, regardless of whether it is chronic or recent, and generalized contracture and tension.

3. "Bencao Gangmu": Qinjiao is required for diseases of inability to move the hands and feet, jaundice, and thirst with restlessness, taking it to remove the damp-heat of Yangming. When Yangming has dampness, then the body is sore, painful, restless and hot; when there is heat, then there is tidal fever in the late afternoon and bone-steaming fever.

4. "Bencao Zhengyiao": To treat wind, one must first treat the blood; when the blood moves, then the wind extinguishes itself, therefore in treating wind, whether chronic or recent, it is used. It enters the stomach to dispel damp-heat, therefore urination becomes free and jaundice is cured.

The medicinal contraindications of Qinjiao (Gentiana macrophylla root)

1. "Bencao Jingshu": Those with deficiency-cold of the lower body, and those with uncontrollable urination, should not take it.

2. "Bencao Huiyan": For all syndromes of yin deficiency and blood dryness, depletion of essence and decline of marrow, it must be combined with large doses of nourishing medicines.

3. "Bencao Congxin": Those with loose stools should avoid using it.

Selected medicinal formulas of Qinjiao (Gentiana macrophylla root)

1. To treat wind stroke affecting the hand and foot Yangming meridians, with deviated mouth and eyes, aversion to wind and cold, and contracture and tension of the four limbs: Cimicifuga (Shengma), Kudzu root (Gegen), roasted Licorice (Gancao), Peony root (Shaoyao) and Ginseng (Renshen) each half a liang; Qinjiao, Dahurian angelica root (Baizhi), Saposhnikovia root (Fangfeng) and Cassia twig (Guizhi) each three qian. Cut the above finely. For each dose take one liang, two zhan of water, and three scallion whites with roots, two cun long; decoct until one zhan remains, remove the dregs, and take it slightly warm after meals. After taking the medicine, lie down in a place sheltered from wind and cold, and stop once a slight sweat appears.

2. To treat back pain extending to the chest: Qinjiao one qian and five fen; Gastrodia (Tianma), Notopterygium (Qianghuo), dried tangerine peel (Chenpi), Angelica sinensis (Danggui) and Ligusticum chuanxiong (Chuanxiong) each one qian; roasted Licorice five fen; fresh ginger three slices; mulberry twig three qian (stir-fried with wine). Decoct in water and take.

3. To treat restlessness of the fetus: Use Qinjiao, roasted Licorice and stir-fried deer-horn glue each half a liang; grind together into powder. For each dose take three qian, and decoct with one large bowl of water and fifty grains of glutinous rice, then take. Another formula: Qinjiao, donkey-hide gelatin (stir-fried) and mugwort leaf, in equal parts, ground into powder. For each dose take three qian, and decoct with one large bowl of water and fifty grains of glutinous rice, then take.

4. To treat pain due to wind striking the meridians and collaterals: Notopterygium (Qianghuo) one qian and five fen; Angelica sinensis (Danggui) two qian; Ligusticum chuanxiong (Chuanxiong) one qian; prepared Rehmannia (Shudi) three qian; Qinjiao, white peony root (stir-fried with wine) and pubescent angelica root (Duhuo) each one qian and five fen.

5. To treat jaundice, with skin and eyes like golden yellow and red urine: Qinjiao five liang; cow's milk three sheng. Boil down to one sheng, remove the dregs. Add mirabilite one liang and take.

6. To treat acute taxation with restlessness and heat (aching and painful body, bone-steaming tidal fever): Use Qinjiao and Bupleurum (Chaihu) each one liang, and Licorice five qian; grind finely. For each dose take three qian, and take mixed with boiled water.

7. To treat deficiency taxation tidal fever, cough, and unstoppable night sweating: Qinjiao (remove seedlings and soil), Bupleurum (remove seedlings), Anemarrhena (Zhimu) and Licorice (cut and roasted) each one liang. The above four ingredients, coarsely pound and sift. For each dose take three qian-spoonfuls, one zhan of water, decoct until six fen remains, remove the dregs, and take warm, without regard to time.

8. To treat bone-steaming strong heat, emaciation of muscles, red lips, red cheeks, coarse breathing, fatigue and drowsiness of the four limbs, and night sweating: Bupleurum, turtle shell (remove the rim, roasted with butter, use the one with nine ribs) and Lycium chinense root bark (Digupi) each one liang; Qinjiao, Angelica sinensis (Danggui) and Anemarrhena (Zhimu) each five qian. The above six ingredients, make into coarse powder. For each dose take five qian, one zhan of water, five leaves of sweet wormwood (Qinghao), and one dark plum (Wumei); decoct until seven fen remains, remove the dregs and take warm, one dose each on an empty stomach and at bedtime.

9. To treat wasting-thirst and eliminate restlessness: Qinjiao two liang (remove seedlings), Licorice three fen (roasted until slightly red, cut). The above medicines, pound and sift into powder. For each dose take four qian, with one medium zhan of water, add half a fen of fresh ginger, decoct until six fen remains, remove the dregs, and take warm without regard to time.