Seaweed (Haizao)

Seaweed (Haizao)

Pharmaceutical Name: Sargassum
Botanical Name: Sargassum pallidum (Turn.) G. Ag.
Sargassum fusiforme (Harv.) Setch.
Common Name:Sargassum
Seaweed
Source of Earliest Record: Shennong Bencao Jing
Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: Entire plant is collected in summer, cleaned, cut into pieces and dried in the shade.
Properties and Taste: Salty and cold
Meridian: Liver, stomach and kidney
Functions: To resolve phlegm and soften hardness
To promote water metabolism
Indications and Combinations: 1.     Goiter.
*Use with Laminaria (Kunbu) in the formula Haizao Yuhu Tang.

2. Scrofula.
*Use with Prunella spike (Xiakucao), Scrophularia (Xuanshen) and Tendrilled fritillary bulb (Chuanbeimu) in the formula Neixiao Lei Li Wan.

3.    Edema of the foot or general edema.
*Use with Poria (Fuling) and Alismatis rhizome (Zexie).
Dosage: 10-15 g
Cautions: This herb should not be combined with Licorice root (Gancao), as they counteract each other.