Tian Zhu Huang天竺黄
Bambusae Concretio Silicea · Bamboo Silica · Tabasheer
Overview
The pale siliceous concretion that forms in the hollow nodes of certain bamboos — light, chalky and quick to absorb water. Sweet and cold, entering the Heart and Liver, it clears heat, transforms phlegm and settles fright, which puts it at the centre of pediatric practice for convulsions with high fever and for the frightened night crying of small children. It does the work of bamboo sap Zhu Li in a dry, storable form, and much of the commercial supply is now manufactured rather than gathered from bamboo, so the source matters.
Nature & Flavor
Sweet · ColdChannels
Heart · LiverTypical Dosage
3–6 g in decoctionActions
3 core actions
- Clears heat, transforms phlegmCough with thick yellow sputum and a full, oppressed chest, where the phlegm has turned hot.
- Cools the Heart, settles frightConvulsions with high fever in children, fright and restless night crying, and phlegm-heat clouding the Heart with confused speech.
- Clears phlegm after strokeStroke with rattling phlegm, slurred or absent speech and rigid limbs, in the hot rather than the cold pattern.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Tian Zhu Huang
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Convulsions and fright wind in children with fever
- Restless night crying and agitation in infants
- Cough with thick yellow phlegm and chest oppression
- Stroke with phlegm-heat, slurred speech and rigidity
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
Cold, so it is the wrong choice for cold phlegm — thin, white, watery sputum — and for anyone with Spleen deficiency and loose stools; prolonged use will weaken the digestion further. A convulsion or a high fever in a child is a medical emergency the first time it happens: get it assessed rather than treating it as a pattern at home, and use herbs alongside that care, not instead of it. Because much of the market supply is manufactured, buy from a supplier who states the origin.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: No specific restriction — practitioner judgment applies; it is cold and phlegm-clearing, so it is matched to a hot phlegm pattern rather than taken routinely.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
2. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.