Lygodium Spores are the mature spores of the fern Lygodium japonicum. After maturation, they appear as a powder with a golden-yellow color, resembling fine sand, hence the name. It should not be mistaken for a mineral medicine. It is mainly produced in Guangdong, Zhejiang, and other regions. In autumn, before the spores fall off, the vine leaves are harvested, dried, and then rubbed to collect the spores. After removing impurities, they are used for medicinal purposes. They are often used in their raw form.
I. The Efficacy of Lygodium Spores:
Lygodium japonicum tastes sweet and is cold in nature. It belongs to the bladder and small intestine meridians. Its effects includePromoting urination and relieving stranguriaIt is particularly effective in treating heat strangury and stone strangury, and is known as the essential herb for promoting diuresis and relieving strangury.
Commonly used inHeat strangury, stone strangury, blood strangury, chylous strangury, urethral paintreatment of conditions such as
Summary of Masterpieces by Renowned Authors:
Compendium of Materia Medica: "Treats damp-heat swelling and fullness, heat strangury, chylous strangury, bloody strangury, stone strangury with penile pain, and resolves heat-toxin qi."
Jiayou Materia Medica: "Promotes the flow of the small intestine."
Jade Qiao's Materia Medica: "Sea Gold Sand clears and drains damp-heat from the bladder, treats various types of strangury with turbid urine, blood, sand, and stones, and reduces abdominal distension and swelling."
Ben Cao Bei Yao: "It eliminates damp-heat in the blood aspect of the small intestine and bladder. It treats swelling and fullness, the five types of strangury, and penile pain."
II. Compatibility and Application of Lygodium Spores:
1. Used for conditions such as heat strangury and sand strangury. Haijinsha can promote diuresis and relieve strangury, making it an essential herb for treating heat strangury and stone strangury. For damp-heat strangury syndrome, it is often combined with diuretic and strangury-relieving herbs such as Shiwei, Talc, Polyporus, Alisma, and Plantago seeds.
For the treatment of urinary tract stones and gallstones, it is often combined with herbs such as Lysimachia christinae and Pumice.
For the treatment of prostate hypertrophy with symptoms such as dribbling urination and painful urination, it is often combined with herbs such as Dioscorea hypoglauca, Pumice, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Vaccaria segetalis, and Achyranthes bidentata, which often yields excellent results.
Wang Ang said, "For severe heat, promote urination; this is the meaning of taking away firewood from under the cauldron."
2. Used for spleen deficiency with dampness, generalized swelling and fullness. Haijinsha has the function of promoting diuresis. It is often combined with Baizhu, Gancao, Qianniu and other medicines.
III. Usage and Dosage of Lygodium japonicum:
Haijinsha is more suitable for decoction and is often used as a powder. The usual dosage for decoction ranges from a few grams to over ten grams.
Due to its light and easily floating nature, it needs to be wrapped when decocted.
Huang Yuanyu said, "Sand is the fine powder on grass, like cattail pollen."
IV. Application Notes for Lygodium Spores
Haijinsha is cold in nature and promotes free flow, thusUse with caution in cases of kidney yin deficiency。
