Ginger - Part 2 of 2

The following is excerpted from Dr. Leung's book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs.  This continues the last week's article on ginger.

In Chinese medicine, ginger is used either fresh or dried.  There is no problem for Westerners in identifying fresh ginger since it is the same fresh ginger root used in cooking.  However, the dried ginger or powder on Western kitchen shelves is not the same as the dried ginger (gan jiang) used in Chinese medicine.  For the latter, the rootstock from a different variety of the ginger plant is used.  Hence the Western dried ginger spice should not be considered an equivalent of the Chinese dried ginger used medicinally.

The first recorded use of ginger in Chinese medicine dates back at least 2,000 years.  It is described in the Shennong Herbal as being of medium quality, meaning that it could be toxic after long term use.  Traditionally, ginger (fresh or dried) is considered to have warming, diaphoretic, and antinausea and anti-emitic properties.  It is also said to dissipate phlegm and stimulate the stomach and intestines.  The more common medicinal uses of ginger include treatment of the common cold, nausea, vomiting , wheezing, coughing, nasal congestion, abdominal distention, diarrhea, and adverse effects of aconite and certain other drugs and foods (e.g., crabs and fish).

Perhaps the most widespread folk medicinal use of ginger, in the form of candied or preserved ginger, is in treating motion sickness.  For this purpose, a small piece of ginger is chewed and eaten as often as necessary during a car or boat ride.  I well remember when I was growing up in Hong Kong, our relatives visiting us from the villages used to come armed with preserved ginger and Tiger Balm or White Flower Oil.  Buses used to reek of these medicines.

Although fresh ginger is sometimes used externally along with alum (potassium aluminum sulfate) to treat hemorrhoids and skin sores and boils, its long-term internal use is said to aggravate these conditions instead. Its use is also not recommended for pregnant women, even though they may experience nausea and vomiting.  

The usual internal daily dose for both fresh and dried ginger is 3 to 9 g. (0.1 to 0.3 oz.).  Fresh ginger is generally used in the form of expressed juice, a mash , or boiled in water.  Dried ginger is usually used boiled in water.

The traditional uses of ginger described above have persisted for centuries.  Other uses of ginger described in more modern herbals or Chinese medical or pharmaceutical journals include treatment of skin peeling from the hand, hemorrhoids, baldness, rheumatic pain, painful intestinal hernia, stomach and duodenal ulcers, malaria, acute bacillary dysentery, acute orchitis (inflammation of the testis), and drug poisoning (e.g., aconite and rhododendron).  Some of these uses are reportedly quite effective, especially for malaria, rheumatic pain, and drug poisoning.  The effectiveness of ginger in treating motion sickness has recently been confirmed in The Lancet, a well-known British medical journal.  

Many remedies based on ginger are found in Chinese herbals, both classical and modern.  The following are a few examples.  

To treat coughing, wheezing, and excessive phlegm due to colds, a popoular Cantonese remedy combines the use fo ginger and black beans.  A piece of fresh mature ginger, about 120 g. (4 oz.), is crushed with the flat side of a meat cleaver and placed in a hot frying pan with a small amount of black beans (30 g. or 1 oz.).  The mixture is stir-fried until the ginger turns yellowish brown.  Two cups of water are added and the mixture is boiled down to about one cup.  The liquid, which is pungent, is drunk while hot before retiring.  It will cause copious perspiration, and symptoms are said to disappear by the next day.

To treat weakness after childbirth, especially after the first child, fresh ginger is stewed with sweet vinegar, pigs' feet, and whole eggs.  The meat, eggs, ginger, and soup are all eaten usually over a period of several weeks.  Young ginger roots are generally selected for this purpose, because old roots are too pungent.  This remedy is popular among Cantonese.

For treating long-term unhealed sores and hemorrhoids, ginger, with skin, is cut into large slices, covered with alum and roasted dry.  It is then ground into a fine powder and applied directly to the affected areas.  This powder is also used to treat toothache by applying it directly on the aching tooth.

To treat baldness, a folk remedy from Guizhou calls for mashing fresh ginger, warming the mash, and spreading it directly on the bald area.  Two to three applications are said to do the trick.  I wonder.

Availability: Fresh ginger is sold in Chinese groceries and is also available in many Western supermarkets.  

This information is excerpted from Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs. This publication includes further information and home remedies using ginger as well as over 45 other herbs.

Learn more about ginger and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit www.earthpower.com.

Dodge a Cold Quickly, Easily, Inexpensively

Note: This is the fifth and final post in this week's series of basic herbal remedies, using mainly food herbs. Today's post comes as we begin to think about cold and flu season, so it is appropriately focused on colds and flu. The other posts in the series included an excellent introduction with lots of background from various TCM herbals, a post on sterility/infertility, an entry dealing with kidney stones, a piece on shingles, and a brief piece on migraine. All of these were originally published together as an article in Dr. Leung's newsletter in June of 1997.

Colds and Flu. There are no truly effective modern antiviral drugs currently available. Most drugs for treating colds and flu are for symptomatic relief. Here is such a simple and safe treatment that it is downright unbelievable![8] Vinegar or Sodium Bicarbonate Solution (5%) - Simply prepare a 5% solution of either vinegar or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in boiled and cooled water. Use either one but not both. Apply 2-3 drops into each nostril every 3 hr, 6 times a day. Best results are obtained if started as soon as symptoms appear. The alkaline solution is superior to the vinegar solution.

This method was developed by researchers at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing who had reportedly obtained 92-97% efficacy rates over many years of use. It was first reported in 1980 at a national pharmaceutical conference, and later published in national pharmaceutical and health journals, as well as reported over national radio in 1990. The journal, Zhongguo Zhongyao Zazhi (Chinese Journal of Chinese Materia Medica), tried to publicize it in 1990 as a public service.[8] However, since then, I have not heard anything more about it. Given such an easy and cheap way to beat the common cold and the flu, why has this method not been widely used by now? Could it be more than meets the eye? I will keep you posted when I find out.

[8] Anon., “Acid/Alkaline Therapy of Colds and Flu,” Zhongguo Zhongyao Zazhi, 15(5): 5(1990).

In traditional Chinese medicine, colds, flu, their associated symptoms (fever, headache, etc.), and what we now know as allergies (tearing eye, runny nose, etc.), are considered to be caused by exogenous “evils” such as “wind evil.” There are numerous herbs that have the properties of removing exogenous “evils.” These include fangfeng [Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk. root], zisuye [Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt.leaf], xinyihua or magnolia flower bud (Magnolia biondii Pamp. & other Magnolia spp.), niubangzi (Arctium lappa L. fruit), bohe or mint (Mentha haplocalyx Briq. herb), juhua or chrysanthemum flower (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. flower head), jinyinhua or honeysuckle flower (Lonicera japonica Thunb.), lianqiao or forsythia fruit [Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl], chuanxinlian (Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees herb], and others. Most of these herbs have also been shown to have antibacterial and/or antiviral activities. There is definitely a correlation between modern antimicrobial effects and traditional exogenous “evils.” Hence, if you want to search for new antiviral compounds from natural sources, look into Chinese herbs that have “wind-evil-removing” as well as “toxin-removing” and “heat-removing” properties. Chances are preliminary reports of such effects are already in the Chinese literature. You just need to know where to look. Remember, it’s your money; watch out for self-promoting consultants (see this Newsletter, Issue 1, p. 1)!

These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.

For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 8 from the drop down list.

Coltsfoot

Known botanically as Tussilago farfara of the composite family, coltsfoot is a common herb found in many parts of the world. It is generally considered to be a native of Eurasia and now also grows wild in North America and nontropical regions of China, where it is known as kuan dong hua. It is also cultivated in many of the temperate and northern Chinese provinces.

Coltsfoot is a perennial herb, 10 to 25 cm. (4-10 in.) high, with two types of leaves. The larger leaves rise from the creeping rootstock, and measure 7-15 cm. (2.8 to 5.9 in.) long and 8-16 cm (3.1 to 6.3 in.) across, with long petioles (leafstalks) that are 8-20 cm. (3.1 to 7.9 in.) long. These leaves are heart- or egg-shaped and are held up by their long leafstalks. The leaf veins and leafstalks of those near the base of the plant are reddish and contain woolly hair. The flowering stem is also wooly, 5-20 cm. (2 to 7.9 in.) high, has ten or more small scalelike alternate leaves and a yellow flower head. Unlike most herbs, coltsfoot flowers before sending up leaves. In China, it flowers in February or March and fruits in April.

For Chinese medicinal use, the flower heads are dug up before they emerge from the ground, in late October to late December. The buds are collected, rid of flowering stems and dirt, and dried in the shade.

Cotsfoot flowers contain steroids (e.g., faradiol), glycosides (e.g., rutin and hyperin), wax, volatile oil, tannins, taraxanthin, and other biologically active compounds.

The flowers and leaves of coltsfoot have been used in Western folk medicine for centuries to treat numerous respiratory conditions (e.g., coughs, colds, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and hoarseness), diarrhea, insect bites, inflammations, and burns.

In recent years, Chinese scientists have found a decoction of coltsfoot flowers to have antitussive (anti-cough), expectorant, and some anti-asthmatic effects in experimental animals such as mice, cats, and rabbits.

Coltsfoot has been used in Chinese medicine for at least two thousand years, and is described in the Shennong Herbal. Traditionally, it is considered to taste pungent and to have warming, invigorating properties and to soothe the lungs, disperse phlegm, and stop coughs. It is used mainly in treating various lung or respiratory conditions, including coughs of long duration, difficulties in swallowing, and asthma. The usual daily internal dose is 1.6-9 g. (0.06 to 0.32 oz.), taken in the form of a decoction, powder, or pills.

In the past few decades, clinical use of extracts of coltsfoot flowers has been reported in Chinese medical and pharmaceutical journals.

A report from a journal of Chinese medicine from Shanghai describes the use of an alcoholic extract of coltsfoot in the treatment of wheezing. Each of 36 patients was given orally 5 ml.. of the extract (equivalent to 6 g. of the dried flowers) three times a day. After taking this medicine, 19 of the patients responded - eight within two days. However, this preparation produced side effects that included nausea and insomnia.

In a report from another regional journal, an injection prepared from the coltsfoot flowers and earthworms (also a standard Chinese medicine) was used in treating tracheitis (chronic inflammation of the trachea). Of 68 patients treated for 10 days continuously, all except four showed marked improvement or the disappearance of such symptoms as cough and wheezing. At the same time, appetite and sleep are also improved. This preparation also significantly lowered patients' blood pressure.

Among several recipes recorded in classical herbals, only two appear to be relatively simple. They are described below.

To treat wheezing, cough, or blood in sputum, equal amounts of coltsfoot flowers and lily bulbs (Lilium species, a standard Chinese medicine) are ground to a fine powder, and mixed with honey to make pills the size of marbles. One pill a day is taken. The pill can be chewed and swallowed with ginger tea or it can be left in the mouth and allowed to dissolve slowly by itself. The latter method is said to give better results. This recipe is from a classical herbal of the mid 13th century. Essentially the same recipe is found in a modern herbal manual, except that a more precise dosage is given there: 9 g. (0.3 oz) of pills are taken with boiled water twice daily.

In the same practical herbal manual, treatment of chronic traecheitis with incessant cough simply calls for placing honey-treated coltsfoot flowers in a pipe and smoking it. The honey-treated flowers are prepared by mixing five parts of flowers with one part of honey predissolved in a small amount of boiling water. The mixture is then fried until it is no longer sticky to the touch.

Availability: Coltsfoot grows in most of eastern North America, in clay-like soil and near streams. The dried flower buds of coltsfoot are available from Chinese herb shops.

This information is excerpted from Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs. This publication includes further information and home remedies using coltsfoot as well as over 45 other herbs. Learn more about coltsfoot and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.

Bell Flower for Coughs, also as Vegetable

Jiegeng is the root of Platycodon grandiflorum. It is also called balloon flower and Chinese bell flower, of the bell flower family. It has a documented use history of close to 2000 years, being first recorded in the Shennong Ben Cao Jing or Shennong Herbal (circa 200 B.C. to 100 A.D). It is most well known for its expectorant and antitussive properties. The herb is commonly used in colds and flus, sore throat, bronchitis, cough with much phlegm, hoarseness of voice, and suppuration. It is a major ingredient in many anti-cough medicines. When ingested orally, at normal doses (3-10 g), it seldom causes any toxic side effects. At elevated doses, however, one may occasionally experience nausea and vomiting, and low blood pressure. Jiegeng contains saponins (platycodin A, C, D, D2 and polygalacin D, D2, etc.), polysaccharides (inulin, platycodonin, etc.), triterpenes (platycogenic acid A, B, C), sterols, sterol glycosides, and others. The saponins have been the most studied, which exhibit various pharmacological activities, including antitussive, expectorant, hypoglycemic, diuretic, anti-ulcer, hemolytic, local irritant, sedative, analgesic, antifebrile, anti-allergergic, corticosterone secretion, and vasodilation.

Earlier in the same issue, I wrote about a discovery on a business trip to China - finding jiegeng being prepared fresh and served as a vegetable:
During lunch in the village near the growing areas, I again learned something new. One of the dishes served was fresh jiegeng (Platycodon grandiflorum root). It tastes like a crunchy and firm root vegetable and not unpleasant. I always knew jiegeng to be an excellent expectorant and antitussive, but I never knew it is commonly eaten as a vegetable in northeastern China.

These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog ( Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.

For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.