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Chen Pi (陳皮), aged tangerine peel, regulates the qi of the Spleen and Stomach, dries dampness and transforms phlegm, and harmonises the middle burner; a gentle, everyday qi-regulator that also aids digestion.
Latin / Pharmaceutical Name
Citrus reticulata (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae)
Common English Name
Aged tangerine peel
Taste
Acrid, bitter
Temperature
Warm
Channels Entered
Spleen, Lung
Actions & Functions
- Regulates the qi and harmonises the middle (distension, nausea)
- Dries dampness and transforms phlegm
Indications
Spleen and Stomach qi stagnation with abdominal distension, nausea and poor appetite; and damp-phlegm cough with a stifling chest.
Dosage
3-9 g in decoction.
Common Combinations
With Ban Xia and Fu Ling (Er Chen Tang) for damp-phlegm; in many digestive formulas.
Cautions & Contraindications
Drying; use with caution in dry cough from yin deficiency and where there is no damp or stagnation.
