Use of Chai Hu (bupleurum roots) in TCM
Please note that you should never self-prescribe TCM ingredients. A TCM ingredient is almost never eaten on its own but as part of a formula containing several ingredients that act together. Please consult a professional TCM practitioner, they will be best able to guide you.
Preparation: Remove impurities, wash, soak in water, cut in thick slices and dry.
Dosage: 3-10 grams
Main actions according to TCM*: Harmonizes exterior and interior. Smoothes the Liver and upraises the Yang.
Primary conditions or symptoms for which Chai Hu may be prescribed by TCM doctors*:
Common cold
Fever
Malaria
Chest pain
Irregular menstruation
Uterine prolapse
Rectal prolapse
Contraindications*: Not suitable for those whose Liver Qi is already uprising.
Common TCM formulas in which Chai Hu is used*
Chai Hu is a king ingredient in Jia Wei Xiao Yao San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Jia Wei Xiao Yao San, Chai Hu spreads the Liver Qi, relieves stagnation and helps guide the other herbs into the Liver. Because of its cooling nature, it is also particularly dealing with Qi Stagnation that has started to generate Heat.
Read more about Jia Wei Xiao Yao San
Chai Hu is a king ingredient in Xiao Yao San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Xiao Yao San, Chai Hu spreads the Liver Qi, relieves stagnation and helps guide the other herbs into the Liver. Because of its cooling nature, it is also particularly dealing with Qi Stagnation that has started to generate Heat.
Read more about Xiao Yao San
Chai Hu is a king ingredient in Chai Hu Shu Gan San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Chai Hu Shu Gan San, Chai Hu enters the Liver and Gallbladder meridians to facilitate the Liver's out thrusting functions by clearing Stagnation.
Read more about Chai Hu Shu Gan San
Chai Hu is a king ingredient in Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Chai Hu is the most important herb for solving Lesser Yang-Warp disorders in the Chinese materia medica.
Combined with the deputy herb, Baikal skullcap root (Huang Qin), which drains Heat from the Liver and Gallbladder (the Interior aspect of the Lesser Yang-Warp), it vents the pathogenic influence and thereby releases Lesser Yang-Warp disorders.
It also spreads the Liver Qi with an ascending, cooling action (contrary to most cooling herbs, which cause things to descend). This combination thereby clears the Heat without causing it to sink deeper into the body.
Read more about Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Chai Hu is a king ingredient in Si Ni San. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Si Ni San, Chai Hu is able to disperse any kind of Qi Stagnation in the epigastrium, abdomen, Stomach, and Intestines. It is an upward rising herb that enters the Liver.
Read more about Si Ni San
Chai Hu is a king ingredient in Da Chai Hu Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Da Chai Hu Tang, Chai Hu dredges the Lesser Yang and releases the Exterior.
Read more about Da Chai Hu Tang
Chai Hu is a king ingredient in Pai Shi Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Pai Shi Tang, Chai Hu smoothes the Liver.
Read more about Pai Shi Tang
Chai Hu is a king ingredient in Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang, Chai Hu resolves Lesser Yang disorders, and releases constraint at this level along with Baikal skullcap root.
Read more about Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang
Chai Hu is a king ingredient in Qing Pi Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Qing Pi Tang, Chai Hu , together with Baikal skullcap root, it resolves the Lesser Yang, venting pathogens and clearing Heat.
It is the best herb for clearing the muscles and reducing fever. However, without Baikal skullcap root, it can neither cool the muscles nor release the Exterior.
Read more about Qing Pi Tang
Chai Hu is a king ingredient in Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
In Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang, Chai Hu is cool, acrid. It releases the Pernicious Influencer from the muscle layer while concurrently clearing Heat.
Read more about Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang
Chai Hu is a deputy ingredient in Long Dan Xie Gan Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Long Dan Xie Gan Tang, Chai Hu disperses Heat caused by stagnating Liver and Gallbladder Qi. It also focuses the actions of the formula's other herbs on the Liver and Gallbladder channels.
Read more about Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Chai Hu is a deputy ingredient in Ren Shen Bai Du San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Ren Shen Bai Du San, Chai Hu releases the Exterior, reduces the fever, and expels the pathogenic influences. Together with Wild mint, they are especially useful in releasing pathogenic influences from the muscle layer.
Read more about Ren Shen Bai Du San
Chai Hu is a deputy ingredient in Jing Fang Bai Du San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Jing Fang Bai Du San, Chai Hu releases the Exterior, reduces the fever, and expels the pathogenic influences. Together with Wild mint, they are especially useful in releasing pathogenic influences from the muscle layer.
Read more about Jing Fang Bai Du San
Chai Hu is a deputy ingredient in Jing Jie Lian Qiao Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Jing Jie Lian Qiao Tang, Chai Hu helps the formula in treating the Heat disorders that center around the Lesser Yang Channels.
Read more about Jing Jie Lian Qiao Tang
Chai Hu is a deputy ingredient in Shi Wei Bai Du San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Shi Wei Bai Du San, Chai Hu It resolves Toxicity, releases pathogens from the Exterior, and clears Blood Heat from both the Interior and Exterior.
Read more about Shi Wei Bai Du San
Chai Hu is a deputy ingredient in Qin Jiao Bie Jia San. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Qin Jiao Bie Jia San, Chai Hu clears Heat from Yin Deficiency and open the Qi dynamic.
It eliminates Deficiency consumption irritability and Heat by releasing and dispersing Heat in the muscle layer".
Read more about Qin Jiao Bie Jia San
Chai Hu is an assistant ingredient in Wan Dai Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Wan Dai Tang, Chai Hu works with other herbs in tonifying Qi and facilitates rising clear Yang. It also assists Spleen function and balances the downward-moving nature of these herbs that releases Dampness.
Read more about Wan Dai Tang
Chai Hu is an assistant ingredient in Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, Chai Hu smoothes the Liver Qi flow, relieves constraint, and rises the clear Yang.
Together with other assistant herbs, it also expands the chest and supports Qi movement. They eliminates Qi Stagnation in the chest and supports the Qi movement so as to facilitate the Blood circulation.
Read more about Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Chai Hu is an assistant ingredient in San Zhong Kui Jian Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In San Zhong Kui Jian Tang, Chai Hu addresses the sores that are along the Lesser Yang Channels.
Read more about San Zhong Kui Jian Tang
Chai Hu is an assistant ingredient in Sheng Yang Yi Wei Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Sheng Yang Yi Wei Tang, Chai Hu is acrid and dispersing in nature. It is a Wind dispersing herb that promote Yang Qi circulation.
When used together with Milkvetch root, Ginseng, Atractylodes rhizome, it also strengthen the ascending movement of Qi, allowing it to move from below to above without Stagnation.
Read more about Sheng Yang Yi Wei Tang
Chai Hu is an envoy ingredient in Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. This means that it directs the formula towards certain area of the body and/or harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
In Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, Chai Hu smoothes the Liver Qi flow, relieves constraint, and rises the clear Yang.
Read more about Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
Chai Hu is an envoy ingredient in Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin. This means that it directs the formula towards certain area of the body and/or harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
In Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin, Chai Hu raises the Yang, disperses Wind-Heat, and conducts the other ingredients to the head.
It is also effective in dispersing Fire stagnation.
Read more about Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin
Key TCM concepts behind Chai Hu's properties
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Chai Hu belongs to the 'Cool/Acrid herbs that release the Exterior' category. Herbs that release the Exterior aim to to treat the early stages of diseases that affect the upper respiratory tract, the eyes, the ears, the nose, the throat or the skin. TCM believes that External diseases such as colds or allergies can only invade the body if the External environment overwhelms our Wei Qi (the TCM version of the immune system). In order to counteract this invasion Cool/Acrid herbs aim to induce sweating by dilating our capillary pores so that they release more sweat. The belief is that this will expel the disease from the body and stop it from invading further.
As suggested by its category Chai Hu is Cool in nature. This means that Chai Hu tends to help people who have too much 'Heat' in their body, although with less effect than a plant that would be Cold in nature. Balance between Yin and Yang is a key health concept in TCM. Those who have too much Heat in their body are said to either have a Yang Excess (because Yang is Hot in nature) or a Yin deficiency (Yin is Cold in Nature). Depending on your condition Chai Hu can help restore a harmonious balance between Yin and Yang.
Chai Hu also tastes Bitter. The so-called 'Five Phases' theory in Chinese Medicine states that the taste of TCM ingredients is a key determinant of their action in the body. Bitter ingredients like Chai Hu tends to have a cleansing action on the body by clearing Heat, drying Dampness and promoting elimination via urination or bowel movements.
The tastes of ingredients in TCM also determine what Organs and Meridians they target. As such Chai Hu is thought to target the Gallbladder and the Liver. Similar to modern medicine, in TCM the Gallbladder stores and releases bile produced by the Liver. It also controls the emotion of decisiveness. The Liver on the other hand is often referred as the body's "general" because it is in charge of regulating the movements of Qi and the Body Fluids. It also takes a leading role in balancing our emotions.
Research on Chai Hu
Bupleurum root extracts exhibit evident anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antiviral, anti-allergic, immunoregulation, and neuroregulation activities.1
Integrative medicine that include thorowax root could adjust immune function to display a quick, potent anti-inflammatory and anti-anaphylactic actions in treating chronic urticaria with less adverse reaction and low recurrence rates.2
Sources:
1. Yuan B, Yang R, Ma Y, Zhou S, Zhang X, Liu Y. (2017). A systematic review of the active saikosaponins and extracts isolated from Radix Bupleuri and their applications. Pharm Biol. , 55(1):620-635.
2. Jin CY, Wang DL, Fang ZD. (2008 ). Effect of integrative Chinese and Western medicine in treating chronic urticaria and its impact on interleukin-10 and interleukin-8 in peripheral blood. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. , 28(4):358-60.
