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Chinese ephedra
April 17, 2011, Sunday
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MAHUANG (Chinese ephedra), literally trouble yellow, is a herb used in TCM to deal with sweat-related problems. Yet using the incorrect part of the plant - the stem or root - can prove problematic as they perform in completely opposite ways as medicine.
Legend has it that an experienced TCM doctor took on an apprentice, determined to pass all his knowledge and experience on to him. However, the apprentice was too self-righteous to be a good learner, which broke the doctor's heart. The doctor let the apprentice set up his own clinic, but reminded him to be cautious about using wu ye cao (leafless grass), a herb that helps sweating when its stem is used, but stops sweating when the root is used.
Despite his limited experience, the apprentice gave treatment to whoever came to him and accidentally killed a patient by prescribing the leafless grass and was sued.
The doctor was also summoned to the county government office to take responsibility for incorrect teaching, but insisted he had told the apprentice how to use the leafless grass.
It was later proved that the apprentice did remember the code but wrongly prescribed the stem to the dead patient who had been suffering severe sweating problems.
The apprentice was sentenced to three years in jail and on his release he went to study TCM with the doctor again, this time taking his learning more seriously and being very cautious when prescribing leafless grass.
Since the grass brought him trouble once, he named it mafan cao (trouble grass). As the root of the grass is yellow, it is more widely known as mahuang (trouble yellow).
The stem of Chinese ephedra is a "warm" herb that helps promote sweating, relieve breathing difficulties and promote urination. It is often used to relieve problems such as coughing, fever and painful menstruation due to pathogenic cold, as sweating can help rid the body of pathogenic energy.
The root of Chinese ephedra, however, is a "neutral" herb that helps stop sweating. It is often used to relieve sweating problems, especially due to debility.
Legend has it that an experienced TCM doctor took on an apprentice, determined to pass all his knowledge and experience on to him. However, the apprentice was too self-righteous to be a good learner, which broke the doctor's heart. The doctor let the apprentice set up his own clinic, but reminded him to be cautious about using wu ye cao (leafless grass), a herb that helps sweating when its stem is used, but stops sweating when the root is used.
Despite his limited experience, the apprentice gave treatment to whoever came to him and accidentally killed a patient by prescribing the leafless grass and was sued.
The doctor was also summoned to the county government office to take responsibility for incorrect teaching, but insisted he had told the apprentice how to use the leafless grass.
It was later proved that the apprentice did remember the code but wrongly prescribed the stem to the dead patient who had been suffering severe sweating problems.
The apprentice was sentenced to three years in jail and on his release he went to study TCM with the doctor again, this time taking his learning more seriously and being very cautious when prescribing leafless grass.
Since the grass brought him trouble once, he named it mafan cao (trouble grass). As the root of the grass is yellow, it is more widely known as mahuang (trouble yellow).
The stem of Chinese ephedra is a "warm" herb that helps promote sweating, relieve breathing difficulties and promote urination. It is often used to relieve problems such as coughing, fever and painful menstruation due to pathogenic cold, as sweating can help rid the body of pathogenic energy.
The root of Chinese ephedra, however, is a "neutral" herb that helps stop sweating. It is often used to relieve sweating problems, especially due to debility.
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