Dēng Xīn Cǎo (灯心草), known in English as Common rush pith (Juncus effusus), is a cool, sweet and bland Chinese herb from the Drain damp category. It enters the Heart, Lung and Small Intestine channels. Its main action: promotes urination, drains Heart Fire through Small Intestine.
| Pinyin | Dēng Xīn Cǎo (Deng Xin Cao) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 灯心草 |
| English | Common rush pith |
| Botanical name | Juncus effusus |
| Category | Drain damp |
| Nature | Cool |
| Flavour | Sweet, Bland |
| Channels | Heart, Lung, Small Intestine |
| Dosage | 1.5–2.5g |
| Cautions | No significant cautions at standard doses |
Actions
- Promotes urination, drains Heart Fire through Small Intestine
- Clears Heart, calms restlessness
Indications
- Hot dysuria
- Heart Fire with insomnia and irritability in children
- Mouth ulcers
How to remember Dēng Xīn Cǎo
Drain damp herbs are mostly cool or cold and sweet, and most enter the Bladder channel.
- You can work these out
- Cool, Sweet: like most Drain damp herbs
- Heart and Small Intestine channels: from its action “drains Heart Fire through Small Intestine”
- Learn by heart
- Bland: unusual for Drain damp herbs (most are sweet)
- Lung channel: nothing in its group or its actions points to it
Formulas containing Dēng Xīn Cǎo
Other Drain damp herbs
- Fú Líng
- Yì Yǐ Rén
- Zé Xiè
- Mù Tōng
- Huá Shí
- Chē Qián Zǐ
- Qú Mài
- Bì Xiè
- Yīn Chén Hāo
- Jīn Qián Cǎo
- Hǎi Jīn Shā
- Zhū Líng
- Tōng Cǎo
- Biǎn Xù
- Shí Wéi
- Dōng Kuí Zǐ
- Dì Fū Zǐ
- Dōng Guā Zǐ
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Dēng Xīn Cǎo?
Dēng Xīn Cǎo is cool and sweet and bland.
Which channels does Dēng Xīn Cǎo enter?
Dēng Xīn Cǎo enters the Heart, Lung and Small Intestine channels.
What are the actions of Dēng Xīn Cǎo?
Promotes urination, drains Heart Fire through Small Intestine; Clears Heart, calms restlessness.
What is Dēng Xīn Cǎo used for?
Hot dysuria; Heart Fire with insomnia and irritability in children; mouth ulcers.
Which formulas contain Dēng Xīn Cǎo?
Bā Zhèng Sǎn.
Practise Dēng Xīn Cǎo and the other 290 herbs
Recognise each herb from its picture, recall its nature, flavour, channels and actions, and review it again just before you would forget it.
Try the 5-question herb quizShen Study is a study tool. Doses and cautions are as taught in standard Chinese materia medica texts; they are not prescribing advice.