Gambir Plant
Naming
Gou Teng (Uncaria Rhynchophylla)——Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous physicians)
Origin
The dry stem and and brach with hooks of perennial herb U. rhynchophylla (Miq.) Jacks, U. macrophylla Wall, U. hirsute Havil, U. sinensis (Oliv.) Havil or U. sessilifructus Roxb. Of family Rubiaceae.
Location
South places of the Yangtze River of China.
Harvest
Collected in spring and autumn.
The actual smell and taste
No bad smell, bad taste.
Best quality
Doubld hooks, thin stem, durable hook, violet red, without withered stem and hook.
Processing
Removed leaves, dried in the sun; cut into segments, unprocessed.
Property
Sweet, slightly cold; liver and pericardium meridians entered.
Actions
Extinguish wind and stop spasm, clear liver heat and pacify liver.
Indications
A. Syndrome of stirring of liver wind
It has moderate actions of extinguishing wind and stopping spasm, and clearing liver heat, so it is usually indicated for stirring of liver wind, convulsive epilepsy and convulsions, especially for generation of wind by extreme heat and infantile convulsions due to high fever. It is often combined with other heat-clearing, wind-extinguishing and apasm-stopping herbs to reinforce the actions. For generation of wind by extreme heat, spasm and convulsions in epidemic warm diseases, it is often combined with Ling Yang Jiao, Bai Shao and Ju Hua, etc, in Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang from Tong Su Shang Han Lun (Popular Treatise on Cold-Induced Diseases). For infantile convulsions with symptoms high fever, coma, locked jaw and spasm of limbs, it is often combined with Tian Ma, Quan Xie and Chan Tui and so on.
B. Syndrome of liver yang hyperactivity
It can both clear liver heat and pacify liver yang, so it is usually indicated for fullness sensation of head, headache and dizziness due to up-flaming of liver fire or hyperactivity of liver yang. For up-invading of liver fire, it is often combined with herbs to clear liver heat and purge liver fire, such as Xia Ku Cao, Long Dan Cao and Zhi Zi, etc. For hyperactivity of liver yang, it is often combined with herbs to pacify liver and subdue yang, such as Tian Ma and Shi Jue Ming, etc., in Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin from Za Zheng Zheng Zhi Xin Yi (New Explanation on syndrome differentiation on Miscellaneous Symptoms).
Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 3~12 g. Decoct later than other herbs to protect the active ingredient from being destroyed.