Properties of different parts of an herb (New subscriber with herb questions

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> 1)In an issue of " Herbalgram' there's an extensive ginseng

> article which explores, amongst other things, the concentrations

> of saponins in different kinds of roots & in different parts of the

> root. The author states that the root hairs have a very high

> concentration. I've seen bundles of red ginseng " tails " (twiggy

> little branch-roots) in the herb shops,

 

I couldn't find red ginseng rootlets in Bensky's and Gamble's Chinese

Herbal

Medicine. Do you know the Chinese name of the red rootlets or hairs,

and

have you done a Google search?

 

I do want to use your post for introducing some basic TCM herbalism

to the

readers on the list who are new to TCM. The members on this list

range from

those new to TCM to students of TCM and related subjects to

professionals in

various fields. Readers new to TCM or to herbalism are not going to

understand why the part of the herb can be so important. I'm

providing some background info for them. Please feel free to provide

additional background info for them as well as posting more in-depth

pieces for the students and professionals on the list.

 

Different parts of a plant have different properties. This is why the

Western pharmaceutical name of the herb will include the part of the

plant .

For example, Radix means root (as in Radix Ginseng (aka Ren Shen)),

Cervix

means neck of (as in Cervix Ginseng (aka Ren Shen Lu)), and Folium

means

leaf (as in Folium Ginseng (aka Ren Shen Ye)). Caulis is tails of the

root.

Radice is rootlet.

 

Sometimes the properties of different parts of the plant will differ

widely.

For example, the properties of Herba Ephedra (aka Ma Huang - the part

of the

plant above ground) are the opposite of Rx (Radix) Ephedra (aka Ma

Huang

Gen). Rx Ephedra is classified as an astringent herb and will stop

sweating. Hb (Herba) Ephedra is classified as an herb to relieve

Wind Chill

and will induce sweating.

 

Sometimes the differences among different parts of the same " herb "

(animal

parts, fungi, minerals also are referred to as " herbs " for simplicity

sake)

are relatively minor and will be a matter of fine-tuning treatment.

For

example, Sclerotium (mass of fungus) Poriae Cocos (aka Fu Ling) and

Cortex

(skin of or outer layer) Poriae Cocos (aka Fu Ling Pi) are both

classified

as Herbs that Relieve Dampness. The Fu Ling is better for

strengthening the

Spleen (tonic in nature) than the Fu Ling Pi, but the Fu Ling Pi is

more

diuretic than Fu Ling. Fine-tuning treatment.

 

In addition, the way an herb is prepared will affect its properties.

For

example, fresh ginger has warm thermal energy (warms the body) and is

used

to warm the Exterior. Dried ginger has hot thermal energy (is even

more

warming than herbs with warm thermal energy) and warms the Interior

of the

body.

 

In the post on white and red ginseng, readers will see examples of how

different parts of the ginseng plant have different properties as

well as

how differences in preparation will affect the final properties.

 

Victoria