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Che Qian Zi (車前子), the seed of Plantago, promotes urination and clears damp-heat, benefits the eyes, clears Lung heat to expel phlegm, and stops diarrhoea by separating the clear from the turbid.
Latin / Pharmaceutical Name
Plantago asiatica (Semen Plantaginis)
Common English Name
Plantain seed
Taste
Sweet
Temperature
Cold
Channels Entered
Kidney, Liver, Lung, Bladder
Actions & Functions
- Clears damp-heat and promotes urination
- Stops diarrhoea (separates clear from turbid)
- Benefits the eyes (Liver heat)
- Clears Lung heat and expels phlegm
Indications
Hot, painful urination and oedema; damp diarrhoea; red, painful eyes; and Lung heat cough with phlegm.
Dosage
4.5-9 g, wrapped in cloth, in decoction.
Common Combinations
With Mu Tong and Hua Shi for damp-heat painful urination.
Cautions & Contraindications
Use with caution in seminal emission without damp-heat and in pregnancy.