Rhizoma cimicifugae a.k.a Cimicifuga rhizome (Shengma) - TCM Materia Medica compiled by Raymond Cheng PhD DPA @ Traditional Chinese Medicine Basics (TCMBasics.com) - TCM theories, resources, herbs, materia medica

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Pharmaceutical Name

Rhizoma Cimicifugae

Botanical Name

1. Cimicifuga foetida L.; 2. Cimicifuga dahurica (Turcz) Maxim.; 3. Cimicifuga heracleifolia Kom.

Common Name

Cimicifuga rhizome, Bugbane rhizome

Source of Earliest Record

Shennong Bencao Jing

Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations

The roots, or rhizomes, are dug in summer or autumn and dried in the sun. After removing the fibrous roots, they are soaked in water and cut into pieces.

Properties & Taste

Pungent, sweet and slightly cold

Meridians

Spleen, lung, large intestine and stomach

Functions

1. To release the exterior and bring measle rash to the surface; 2. To clear heat and toxins; 3. To raise the yang-qi

Indications & Combinations

1. Early stage of measles with incomplete expression of the rash. Cimicifuga rhizome (Shengma) is used with Pueraria root (Gegen) in the formula Shengma Gegen Tang. 2. Excessive heat in the stomach meridian manifested as headache, swelling of gums, painful gums, painful teeth and ulceration of tongue and mouth. Cimicifuga rhizome (Shengma) is used with Coptis root (Huanglian), Fresh rehmannia root (Shengdihuang), Gypsum (Shigao) and Moutan bark (Mudanpi) in the formula Qingwei San. 3. Sore throat caused by invasion of exogenous wind and heat. Cimicifuga rhizome (Shengma) is used with Scrophularia (Xuanshen), Platycodon root (Jiegeng), Arctium fruit (Niubangzi) in the formula Niubang Tang. 4. Sinking of qi in the spleen and stomach manifested as chronic diarrhea, prolapse of rectum, uterine prolapse and gastroptosis. Cimicifuga rhizome (Shengma) is used with Ginseng (Renshen), Scutellaria root (Huangqin) and White atractylodes (Baizhu) in the formula Buzhong Yiqi Tang. 5. Boils, carbuncles, furuncles and skin disease. Cimicifuga rhizome (Shengma) is used with Dandelion herb (Pugongying), Honeysuckle flower (Jinyinhua), Forsythia fruit (Lianqiao) and Red peony (Chishao).

Dosage

3-10 g

Cautions & Contraindications

This herb is contraindicated in patients who have difficulty breathing, who have measles with complete rashes, or who have deficient yin syndrome with heat.

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WHAT IS TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE?
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With over 3000 years of experience, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has remain one of the many fascinating areas in ancient Chinese culture. First known to be documented in the Yellow Emperor's Canon of Medicine, TCM is believed to have been practised in as early as 475 to 221 B.C. The field of working knowledge of TCM stretches from anything related to general healthcare practice to the philosophy of the mind, the logic of life, religion, and even to as far as cosmology and astronumerology. This is why in order to thoroughly understand the concepts behind TCM, one must be comprehensive in learning and embracing the Chinese culture as a whole.

Just as Douglas Hoff put it when he explained about accupuncture, "The systems of TCM uses the concepts of elements and meridians and are completely immersed in the Asian cosmology which takes shape through the religions." The meridian-brain mechanism, the fundamental working concept of acupuncture, in which the pain block from the message that the needle or burning cone of herbs gives to the point of stimulus, was only found centuries later by the West through science and technology.

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR – MARCH 2020

Raymond Cheng, PhD DPA Thank you for visiting this TCM and acupuncture information website. If you have previously been to this website, you might have noticed that some of the pages on ancient historical ideas and holistic thinkings related to Chinese metaphysics are temporarily taken offline. This is because I will be revamping the whole website and be moving those information into a new \"Ancient Chinese Culture\" section so as to reflect a more current perspective on the interpretation of some of the fundamental concepts as well as to include some of the latest information in the area. But if you have just found this website for the very first time, I welcome you again and wish you could find what you require and, hopefully, you could also be benefitted from reading the articles I published on this website.

Please be patient and do come and check out this website frequently as it's being revamped.

Raymond Cheng, PhD DPA FRSA FRSPH

March 28, 2020.

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