Mài Dōng (麦冬), known in English as Ophiopogon (Ophiopogon japonicus), is a cool, sweet and slightly bitter Chinese herb from the Tonify yin category. It enters the Lung, Heart and Stomach channels. Its main action: nourishes Lung and Stomach Yin, clears Heat.
| Pinyin | Mài Dōng (Mai Dong) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 麦冬 |
| English | Ophiopogon |
| Botanical name | Ophiopogon japonicus |
| Category | Tonify yin |
| Nature | Cool |
| Flavour | Sweet, Slightly bitter |
| Channels | Lung, Heart, Stomach |
| Dosage | 6–12g |
| Cautions | Cold-Phlegm; Spleen deficiency diarrhoea; Wind-Cold cough |
Actions
- Nourishes Lung and Stomach Yin, clears Heat
- Nourishes Heart Yin, calms Shen
- Moistens intestines
Indications
- Lung dryness cough
- Stomach Yin deficiency
- Heart Yin deficiency with palpitations and anxiety
- Constipation from dryness
How to remember Mài Dōng
Tonify yin herbs are mostly cool or cold and sweet, and most enter the Kidney and Liver channels.
- You can work these out
- Cool, Sweet: like most Tonify yin herbs
- Lung and Stomach channels: from its action “Nourishes Lung and Stomach Yin”
- Heart channel: from its action “Nourishes Heart Yin”
- Learn by heart
- Slightly bitter: unusual for Tonify yin herbs (most are sweet)
Formulas containing Mài Dōng
- Qīng Yíng Tāng
- Tiān Wáng Bǔ Xīn Dān
- Yù Nǚ Jiān
- Qīng Zào Jiù Fèi Tāng
- Wēn Jīng Tāng
- Yī Guàn Jiān
- Bǎi Hé Gù Jīn Tāng
- Shā Shēn Mài Dōng Tāng
- Dà Dìng Fēng Zhū
- Zhì Gān Cǎo Tāng
Other Tonify yin herbs
- Nǚ Zhēn Zǐ
- Gǒu Qǐ Zǐ
- Shēng Dì Huáng
- Tiān Dōng
- Yù Zhú
- Shí Hú
- Hàn Lián Cǎo
- Guī Bǎn
- Biē Jiǎ
- Bǎi Hé
- Běi Shā Shēn
- Huáng Jīng
- Sāng Shèn
- Hēi Zhī Má
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Mài Dōng?
Mài Dōng is cool and sweet and slightly bitter.
Which channels does Mài Dōng enter?
Mài Dōng enters the Lung, Heart and Stomach channels.
What are the actions of Mài Dōng?
Nourishes Lung and Stomach Yin, clears Heat; Nourishes Heart Yin, calms Shen; Moistens intestines.
What is Mài Dōng used for?
Lung dryness cough; Stomach Yin deficiency; Heart Yin deficiency with palpitations and anxiety; constipation from dryness.
Which formulas contain Mài Dōng?
Qīng Yíng Tāng, Tiān Wáng Bǔ Xīn Dān, Yù Nǚ Jiān, Qīng Zào Jiù Fèi Tāng, Wēn Jīng Tāng, Yī Guàn Jiān, Bǎi Hé Gù Jīn Tāng, Shā Shēn Mài Dōng Tāng, Dà Dìng Fēng Zhū and Zhì Gān Cǎo Tāng.
Practise Mài Dōng 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.