Ricepaper Pith (Tongcao)
| Pharmaceutical Name: | Medulla tetrapanacis |
| Botanical Name: | Tetrapanax papyriferus (Hook.) K. Koch |
| Common Name: | Ricepaper Pith |
| Source of Earliest Record: | Bencao Shiyi |
| Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: | The stems are gathered in autumn, cut into pieces and the bark is removed. The stems are dried in the sun and cut into slices. |
| Properties and Taste: | Sweet or no taste and slightly cold |
| Meridian: | Lung and stomach |
| Functions: | To clear heat and promote water metabolism To promote lactation |
| Indications and Combinations: | 1. Damp-heat in the urinary bladder manifested as dysuria, painful urination, frequent urination and urgency of micturition. *Use with herbs that transform damp and clear heat, such as Talc (Huashi) and Plantain seed (Cheqianzi). 2. Insufficient lactation. *Use with Vaccaria seed (Wangbuliuxing) and Pangolin seed (Chuanshanjia), or cook Ricepaper pith (Tongcao) with pig’s feet. |
| Dosage: | 2-5 g |
| Cautions: | This herb should be used with caution during pregnancy. |