川木通
Naming
Chuan Mu Tong (Caulis Clematidis Armandii)——Tian Bao Ben Cao (Tian Bao Materia Medica)
Origin
The stem of the perennial woody climbing shrub Clematis armandii Franch. C. montana Buch. -Ham. of family Ranunculaceae.
Location
Mainly in Sichuan province of China.
Harvest
Collected in spring and autumn.
The true smell and taste
No fetid smell, bland in taste.
Best quality
Even stem, without old husk, yellowish cross section.
Processing
Split peel and dried in sun, or dried in sun after being cut into pieces. Unprocessed.
Property
Bland, bitter, cold; heart, small intestine and bladder meridians entered.
Actions
Clear heat and promote diuresis, induce menstruation and lactation.
Indications
A. Stranguria and edema
It is good at clearing heat and draining dampness from bladder and small intestine, so it has the actions of clearing heat and inducing diuresis. For damp-heat in the bladder with dribbling, difficult and painful urination, scanty dark urine, it is usually combined with herbs of clearing heat and inducing diuresis to relieve stranguria, such as Raw Di Huang, Dan Zhu Ye, and Gan Cao, etc. For edema, it is combined with Fu Ling, and Zhu Ling, etc. , to reinforce the actions of inducing diuresis and alleviating edema.
B. Stomatitis
It can clear heat of heart and small intestine. For ulceration on the oral mucosa and tongue due to up-flaming of heart fire, it is combined with Raw Di Huang, Dan Zhu Ye, and Gan Cao, etc.
C. Amenorrhea, hypolactation
It has the action of dredging and activating meridian. For amenorrhea due to blood stasis, it is combined with blood-circulation-promoting and menstruation-inducing herbs, such as Niu Xi, Tao Ren, etc. For hypolactation, it can be used alone or combined with the relative herbs.
D. Arthralgia of damp-heat type
It has the actions of clearing heat, draining dampness and unblocking meridians. It is suitable for arthralgia of damp-heat type manifested as redness, swelling and pain in joint, and it is usually combined with wind-damp-dispelling and heat-clearing herbs such as Fang Ji, Sang Zhi, Luo Shi Teng, etc.
Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 3～6 g.
Cautions
It is contraindicated for qi deficiency, fluid impairment, diuresis and pregnant woman.