Polygonatum Vs. Polygonatum

[Guest guest]

I while back I posted a question about the difference between Huang jing

(polygonatum

Sibiricum) & Yu Zhu (Polygonatum Odoratum). Both seem to be popular & highly

regarded

tonic herbs, but most references (in English, at least) will list either one or

the other, but

not both. Yu Zhu is sometimes called Solomon's Seal (vert occasionally Huang

Jing is too!)

In appearance they're very different. Huang Jing is Blackish round sticky

slices, very similar

to Rehmannia, while Yu zhu occurs in long thin yellowish white strips, about 1/2

an inch

wide.

 

The best way to get to know them seemed to be to get to know them, so I picked

up some

of each & took each for a few weeks. My experience was that both were mild yin

tonics,

both had mild aphrodesiac, & energy enhancing qualites (in a yin way), both

seemed to

hepl keep the thinking processes clear. Huang Jing, as it's sticky, black

signature would

imply, had a more kidney-water oriented effect, while Yu Zhu dry, white,

slightly odorous,

seemed more oriented to chi-metal. Pretty much what the sources described. Since

I'm not

an expert by any means, I'd love a bit of input from anyone more experienced.

 

One other thing: I was recently in an oriental market, which had a broad

selection of tea &

herbal teas. ther seemed to be a number of brands of Korean " Solomon's Seal "

tea. Is

anyone familiar with the use of this herb as a common (teabag) beverage? Is it

the same as

Yu Zhu, or Huang Jing, or another Polygonatum?

 

Thanks,

Jeff

[Guest guest]

> The best way to get to know them seemed to be to get to know them,

so I picked up some

> of each & took each for a few weeks. My experience was that both

were mild yin tonics,

> both had mild aphrodesiac, & energy enhancing qualites (in a yin

way), both seemed to

> hepl keep the thinking processes clear. Huang Jing, as it's

sticky, black signature would

> imply, had a more kidney-water oriented effect, while Yu Zhu dry,

white, slightly odorous,

> seemed more oriented to chi-metal. Pretty much what the sources

described. Since I'm not

> an expert by any means, I'd love a bit of input from anyone more

experienced.

 

Thanks for posting this, Jeff.

 

I'm always on the lookout for info on Yin tonic herbs as a lot of

people ask for recommendations on these. Many of the Yin tonic

herbs are too cloying for people with weakened Spleens who need

milder Yin tonic herbs until the Spleen is strengthened. In your

experience would either or both of these be good for someone who is

both Yin Deficient and Spleen Deficient?

[Guest guest]

> I'm always on the lookout for info on Yin tonic herbs as a lot of

> people ask for recommendations on these. Many of the Yin tonic

> herbs are too cloying for people with weakened Spleens who need

> milder Yin tonic herbs until the Spleen is strengthened. In your

> experience would either or both of these be good for someone who is

> both Yin Deficient and Spleen Deficient?

 

I wouldn't feel comfortable giving an opinion in a medical capacity, since I'm

pretty much

self-taught, & mostly just explore tonic herbs, & only on myself. Moreover, I've

been

noticing that as i getr older, my body seems to be getting less sensitive to the

subtler

effects of some herbs. & it takes longer to get a grasp of them. So please take

my

experiences strictly as anecdotal.

 

With the disclaimer out of the way, The thing that's instantly obvious about the

two herbs

is that dry Huang Jing is dark, heavy & sticky, very much like Rehmannia (ti

huang) &

would likely engender dampness in a weak spleen. I'm not familiar with Yuzhu

enough yet

guess about it's relationship to spleen & stomach, but i might generalize that

while Haung

Jing offer's a " downward moving " tonicity, Yu Zhu offers an " upward moving " one,

if that

makes any sense. I did a quick online search & found references

(www.itmonline.com) to

Yu Zhu's use in herbal formulas as a lung & throat moistener, which fits with my

" metal "

energy sense of it.

 

I'm fond of looking up formulas using specific herbs in " Commonly Used Chinese

Herb

Formulas with Illustrations " by Hong Yen Hsu, which depicts graphically how the

specific

herb functions within a formula. If I can remember where I've left the book,

I'll try & see

where it fits in that environment.

 

Cheers,

Jeff