Qinjiao is the root of various species of Gentiana and Gentiana macrophylla. Its root resembles a twisted dough twist, entangled together, hence the name. It is mainly produced in Gansu, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Sichuan, and other regions. It is often harvested in spring and autumn, processed, and dried. It is sliced and used raw.
I. Efficacy of Gentiana Macrophylla:
Qinjiao tastes bitter and pungent, slightly cold. It belongs to the stomach, liver, and gallbladder meridians. Its efficacy canDispelling wind and eliminating dampness, relaxing tendons and activating collaterals, clearing heat and relieving painIts characteristics allow it to ascend and descend, effectively treating various types of arthralgia syndromes, as well as clearing deficiency heat, particularly excelling in treating bone-steaming tidal fever.
Commonly used inRheumatic pain, hemiplegia due to stroke, muscle cramps and spasms, joint pain, damp-heat jaundice, bone-steaming tidal fever, fever due to infantile malnutritiontreatment of conditions such as
Summary of Famous Works by Renowned Authors:
The Classic of Materia Medica: "It primarily treats cold and heat pathogenic factors, cold-damp wind impediment, limb and joint pain, promotes urination, and facilitates urination."
Bie Lu: "Treat wind, regardless of duration. Relieves spasms throughout the body."
Materia Medica Theory: "Promotes urination and defecation, cures five types of jaundice, resolves alcohol toxicity, and dispels head wind."
Compendium of Materia Medica: "For conditions such as limb paralysis, jaundice, and excessive thirst, it is necessary to use this herb to eliminate damp-heat from the Yangming meridian. When dampness is present in Yangming, the body experiences soreness, pain, and feverish discomfort; when heat is present, there will be tidal fever in the late afternoon and bone-steaming fever."
Jade Carving Medicine Explanation: It promotes the flow of meridians and dispels wind-dampness. It is used to treat stroke paralysis, muscle spasms and bone pain in dampness conditions, and symptoms of jaundice.
"Compendium of Materia Medica": "Clears heat from the intestines and stomach, benefits the qi of the liver and gallbladder, nourishes blood and strengthens tendons. Treats wind-cold-dampness impediment, generalized spasms and tension, consumptive disease with bone-steaming, jaundice and alcohol toxicity, intestinal wind with diarrhea and bleeding, lockjaw and toothache, conditions of dampness prevailing over wind, and promotes urination and defecation."
II. Compatibility and Application of Gentiana Macrophylla:
1. For rheumatic arthralgia, joint contracture, and conditions such as impaired movement of the hands and feet. Gentiana macrophylla can dispel wind-dampness and relax tendons and collaterals. It is applicable for treating rheumatic arthralgia regardless of whether the condition is recent or chronic, hot or cold. It also has the effect of clearing heat, making it particularly suitable for heat-type arthralgia and conditions with red and swollen joints. For treating rheumatic arthralgia and numbness of the hands and feet, it is often combined with Rehmannia root, gypsum, Notopterygium root, Saposhnikovia root, and Asarum, as inDa Qinjiao DecoctionIf treating lower limb rheumatism, it can be combined with herbs such as duhuo, mugua, niuxi, and shenjincao.
If treating wind-heat blood dryness with pain in the sinews and bones, it is often combined with Shengdi, Baishao, Danggui, and Fangfeng, namelyQinjiao Dihuang Decoction。
In the treatment of rheumatic arthralgia and limb contracture, Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix is often used in combination with Erythrinae Cortex. The combination of these two herbs directly connects the upper and lower parts of the body, traversing the twelve meridians, thereby enhancing the effects of dispelling wind, eliminating dampness, unblocking collaterals, and relieving pain.
Qinjiao can also be used for sequelae of stroke. Its medicinal properties are mild and gentle, earning it the title of "moistening agent among wind-dampness herbs." For treating stroke with paralysis of the hands and feet, facial distortion, and stiffness in the limbs, it is often combined with Shengma, Gegen, Renshen, Fangfeng, Guizhi, and Zhigancao, as inQinjiao Shengma Decoction。
Wang Ang said, "It is a moistening agent among wind-dispersing drugs, and a tonic among dispersing drugs."
"Compendium of Essential Herbs": "To treat wind, first treat the blood; when blood circulates, wind naturally subsides. Therefore, it is effective for treating wind conditions, whether recent or long-standing. It enters the stomach to dispel damp-heat, thus promoting urination and curing jaundice."
2. For bone-steaming tidal fever. Gentiana macrophylla excels at clearing deficiency heat and is a key medicinal for treating yin deficiency bone-steaming tidal fever. For bone-steaming intense fever, muscle emaciation, yin deficiency night sweats, it is often combined with turtle shell, bupleurum, sweet wormwood, anemarrhena, and wolfberry bark, namelyQinjiao Biejia Decoction。
For treating acute consumptive disease with vexing heat, it can be combined with Bupleurum and Licorice Root; for treating infantile bone-steaming tidal fever, reduced food intake, and emaciation, it can be combined with honey-fried Licorice Root and Peppermint.
Li Shizhen said, "It is a medicine for the Hand and Foot Yangming Meridians, and also enters the Liver and Gallbladder. When there is dampness in the Yangming, it causes soreness, pain, cold, and heat in the hands and feet; when there is heat, it leads to afternoon tidal fever and bone-steaming."
Chinese Pharmacopoeia: "Used for bone-steaming tidal fever, and also capable of eliminating deficiency heat."
3. For damp-heat jaundice. Gentiana macrophylla also has the effect of promoting diuresis and relieving jaundice. For treating damp-heat jaundice, it is often combined with Artemisia capillaris, Gardenia jasminoides, and other herbs to enhance the therapeutic effect.
III. Usage and Dosage of Gentiana Macrophylla:
Qinjiao is often used in decoctions and also made into pills and powders. The usual dosage in decoctions ranges from a few grams to over ten grams.
IV. Application Notes for Gentiana Macrophylla:
Qinjiao tastes bitter and slightly cold, it promotes urination and defecation, thereforeAvoid use in cases of physical weakness, chronic pain, and excessive urination or loose stools。
Ben Cao Jing Shu: "Those with deficiency and cold in the lower body, and those who cannot control urination should not take it."
Ben Cao Cong Xin: "Contraindicated for those with loose stools."
