Xuán Shēn (玄参), known in English as Figwort root (Scrophularia ningpoensis), is a cool, sweet, bitter and salty Chinese herb from the Clear heat category. It enters the Lung, Stomach and Kidney channels. Its main action: clears Heat, cools Blood.
| Pinyin | Xuán Shēn (Xuan Shen) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 玄参 |
| English | Figwort root |
| Botanical name | Scrophularia ningpoensis |
| Category | Clear heat |
| Nature | Cool |
| Flavour | Sweet, Bitter, Salty |
| Channels | Lung, Stomach, Kidney |
| Dosage | 9–15g |
| Cautions | Spleen and Stomach deficiency with Damp and diarrhoea; incompatible with Li Lu |
Actions
- Clears Heat, cools Blood
- Nourishes Yin, drains Fire
- Resolves toxicity, softens and dissipates nodules
Indications
- Heat in Ying and Blood with rashes and thirst
- Heat damaging Yin with crimson tongue and constipation
- Steaming bone and cough from Yin deficiency
- Red eyes
- Sore throat
- Scrofula
- Carbuncles and sores
How to remember Xuán Shēn
Clear heat herbs are mostly cool or cold and bitter, and most enter the Stomach and Liver channels.
- You can work these out
- Cool, Bitter, Stomach channel: like most Clear heat herbs
- Learn by heart
- Sweet: unusual for Clear heat herbs (most are bitter)
- Salty: unusual for Clear heat herbs (most are bitter)
- Lung and Kidney channels: nothing in its group or its actions points to them
Formulas containing Xuán Shēn
Other Clear heat herbs
- Shí Gāo
- Zhī Mǔ
- Huáng Qín
- Huáng Lián
- Huáng Bǎi
- Lóng Dǎn Cǎo
- Zhī Zǐ
- Jīn Yín Huā
- Lián Qiào
- Pú Gōng Yīng
- Tiān Huā Fěn
- Lú Gēn
- Zhú Yè
- Xià Kū Cǎo
- Jué Míng Zǐ
- Kǔ Shēn
- Qín Pí
- Bái Xiān Pí
- Zǐ Huā Dì Dīng
- Bái Huā Shé Shé Cǎo
- Bǎn Lán Gēn
- Tǔ Fú Líng
- Shè Gān
- Dì Gǔ Pí
- Qīng Hāo
- Yín Chái Hú
- Hú Huáng Lián
- Mǔ Dān Pí
- Chì Sháo
- Shuǐ Niú Jiǎo
- Bái Wēi
- Bái Tóu Wēng
- Bài Jiàng Cǎo
- Yú Xīng Cǎo
- Shān Dòu Gēn
- Mǎ Bó
- Yě Jú Huā
- Lǜ Dòu
- Hé Yè
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Xuán Shēn?
Xuán Shēn is cool and sweet, bitter and salty.
Which channels does Xuán Shēn enter?
Xuán Shēn enters the Lung, Stomach and Kidney channels.
What are the actions of Xuán Shēn?
Clears Heat, cools Blood; Nourishes Yin, drains Fire; Resolves toxicity, softens and dissipates nodules.
What is Xuán Shēn used for?
Heat in Ying and Blood with rashes and thirst; Heat damaging Yin with crimson tongue and constipation; steaming bone and cough from Yin deficiency; red eyes; sore throat; scrofula; carbuncles and sores.
Which formulas contain Xuán Shēn?
Qīng Yíng Tāng, Tiān Wáng Bǔ Xīn Dān, Bǎi Hé Gù Jīn Tāng, Zhèn Gān Xī Fēng Tāng and Zhì Bǎo Dān.
Practise Xuán Shēn 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.