竹瀝
Naming
Zhu Li (Succus Bambusae)——Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous physicians)
Origin
Same as Zhu Ru.the light yellow and clear liquid when the fresh haulm roasted.
The actual smell and taste
Bamboo fragrance, lightly sweet taste.
Best quality
Transparent without precipitation.
Property
Sweet, cold; heart, lung and liver meridians entered.
Actions
Clear heat and eliminate phlegm, clear heart and calm fright.
Indications
A. Cough and dyspnea due to phlegm-heat
This herb is sweet, cold and slick with strong actions of clearing heat and removing phlegm. It is mostly suitable for cough and dyspnea due to phlegm-heat manifested by sticky phlegm difficult in expectoration and stubborn and sticky phlegm accumulation. It can be used singly. It is combined with other heat-clearing and phlegm-resolving herbs. For instance it is combined with Ban Xia and Huang Qin in Zhu Li Dao Tan Wan from Shen Shi Zun Sheng Shu. It is also combined with heat-clearing, phlegm-resolving, lung purging and qi-directing downward herbs such as Huang Qin, She Gan, Sang Bai Pi, Gua Lou and Xing Ren.
B. Apoplexy due to mental confusion resulted from phlegm as well as epilepsy, depressive psychosis and mania, and unconsciousness due to phlegm-heat
This herb enters heart and liver meridians and is good at clearing heat and eliminating phlegm to resuscitate and calm mind. It is taken singly for aphasia due to apoplexy recorded in Qian Jin Fang. For unconsciousness, profuse phlegm in larynx, it is combined with Sheng Jiang juice by nasal feeding or oral drenching when patients are unable to take orally. For infantile convulsions due to phlegm-heat, it is combined with other heat-phlegm-clearing and resolving herbs, wind-extinguishing and fright-calming herbs and resuscitation and mind-refreshing herbs. For instance it is combined with Dan Nan Xing and Niu Huang recorded in Quan You Xin Jian (Comprehensive Mirror of Pediatrics).
Dosage and Administrations
30~50g infused. This herb can not be stored long while it can be made ointment and stored in bottles called Zhu Li Ointment. When stored in ampoule bottle it lasts long.
Cautions
This herb is cold and slick in property, so prohibited for cold-phlegm and loose stool.