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Zhi Ban Xia制半夏

Pinelliae Rhizoma preparatum · Prepared Pinellia Rhizome

Herbs that Transform Phlegm and Stop Coughing 化痰止咳平喘药Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing 《神农本草经》(as Ban Xia 半夏)

Overview

Pinellia rhizome after processing — the only form taken internally, since the raw tuber is acrid enough to blister the mouth and throat and is classed as toxic. Prepared, it becomes the tradition's principal herb for damp phlegm: acrid and warm, it dries damp, dissolves phlegm, turns rebellious Stomach qi downward so that nausea and vomiting settle, and breaks up the stuffy fullness phlegm creates below the breastbone. Which processing is used shifts the emphasis — ginger-cured Jiang Ban Xia is the strongest at stopping vomiting, alum-cured Qing Ban Xia leans toward drying damp phlegm, and Fa Ban Xia is the gentlest and the usual choice for a weak Spleen.

Nature & Flavor

Acrid · Warm · Toxic in the raw state

Channels

Spleen · Stomach · Lung

Typical Dosage

3–9 g in decoction
制半夏Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

3 core actions

  • Dries damp, transforms phlegmCough with copious white, watery phlegm, chest oppression and a heavy head; the classic pairing with Chen Pi 陈皮 and Fu Ling 茯苓.
  • Turns qi downward, stops vomitingNausea and vomiting of almost any pattern, steered by the herbs around it — with fresh ginger for cold, with Huang Lian 黄连 for heat.
  • Disperses stuffiness, dissipates nodulesThe tight, blocked feeling below the breastbone that is neither painful nor hard; also the plum-pit sensation in the throat, with Hou Po 厚朴.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Zhi Ban Xia

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Cough with copious white phlegm and chest fullness
    - Nausea and vomiting, including morning sickness under supervision
    - Focal fullness and blockage below the breastbone
    - Sensation of something stuck in the throat

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

NauseaVomitingProductive coughFunctional dyspepsiaGlobus sensation

Contraindications

Cautions

Raw Pinellia Ban Xia is toxic and is never taken internally — only the processed forms are, and only as dispensed. Warm and drying, it is wrong for a dry cough of yin deficiency, for coughing blood or any active bleeding, and for a parched throat. Classical incompatibility: it is not combined with the aconite herbs — Chuan Wu, Cao Wu, Fu Zi — one of the eighteen antagonisms. Do not exceed 9 g a day. Tingling or numbness of the mouth and throat after a dose suggests the material was inadequately processed: stop taking it and contact the dispensary.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: Used with caution in pregnancy. Classical texts list Pinellia among the herbs to handle carefully while carrying, yet prepared Pinellia is also a mainstay of the classical prescriptions for morning sickness — the decision belongs to the treating practitioner and never to self-prescription.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing《神农本草经》(classical source, public domain).
    2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    3. 《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.