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Coughing Coughing can have many root causes like bacterial or virus infections, asthma, diabetes, air pollution, dry air, temperature difference or loud speaking, just to mention some examples. Overall, we know that frequent coughing is always a symptom of the presence of a disease. As the classification of a cough is diverse (acute, chronic, dry, productive, day or night cough), the identification of the root cause is often a real challenge to every doctor. In the Western world, coughing is mostly treated with medication that stops the symptoms quickly without even looking at the underlying causes. In TCM it is said that coughing is caused by the imbalance of the body’s energy and the abnormal Qi activity inside the lungs. Helpful is that in most cases coughing is not the only symptom of the patient at that time. Accompanying symptoms help the TCM practitioners to find the part of the body where the coughing is originated and to select the right herbal medicine. In the following passage, three herbs are introduced that are regularly prescribed in medication that cures coughing. Please do not use these herbs without consulting a TCM practitioner! Rhizoma Arisaematis or Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Tian nan xing 天南星 )  Rhizoma arisaematis is the most famous herb to stop coughing and to transform phlegm. The plant is native to most areas in China, except the Northwest and Tibet. The plant is collected in autumn and winter when the stem and leaf are withered, removed from fibrous root and outer tissue, dried in the sun, and cut into slices.
Due to its toxicity, only processed rhizome arisaematis can be used internally. The raw plant is used topically to reduce swelling and alleviates pain. Arisaematis is also a useful herb against insect and snake bites. You can find Arisaema in almost every herbal medication to treat coughing. The medical effects are the following:
The taste is bitter and acrid; the temperature is warm. The plant is toxic (caution with pregnancy!). Rhizoma arisaematis enters the liver, lung and spleen meridians. Pinellia rhizome (Ban xia 半 夏 )  Pinellia is a little stemmed plant, originated in Japan and South China. The dried plant can be found at local Chinese markets (Attention: It happens that the plant is confused with Typhonii flagelliformis). You will also see the processed pinellia in form of pills, powders or cough syrup.
Like the rhizoma arisaematis, the raw pinellia plant can only be used externally to treat swelling and skin sores (due to its toxicity). Processed roots are often prescribed for internal use. Pinellia rhizome is regularly used in medication to cure cough. The therapeutic effects of pinellia rhizome are explained below:
Its characteristics are acrid, dry, warm and toxic (caution with pregnancy!). Pinellia rhizome enters the lung, spleen and stomach meridians. Apricot seed or Prunus armeniaca (Xing ren 杏仁 )  Apricot seed is the small kernel enclosed within the wood-like pit at the center of the apricot fruit. The fruits grow on small to medium size trees in temperate zones. Apricots came originally from the Northern part of China and areas in Himalaya. In spring, the trees wear white, multi-petaled blossoms with a slight reddish tinge. The harvest season is late July until early August.
In Chinese herbal medicine, apricot seed is used to treat respiratory diseases, including bronchitis and emphysema. It is believed to act as a cough suppressant and expectorant and, because of the oil, also as a laxative. Apricot seed has the following therapeutic effects:
For several years there has been a discussion if apricot seeds can be applied in cancer treatment as the seeds contain high doses of vitamin B17, also known as Laetrile and Amygdalin. The consumption of more than two apricot seeds per day can endanger the health of an adult person due to the toxic dose of cyanide. Its characteristics are warm, bitter and slightly toxic (caution with pregnancy!). Apricot seed enters the lung and large intestine meridians. If you have questions about these herbs and the treatment with herbal remedies in general, please feel free to contact us. We are very happy to help! |
