Warm Herbs that Dissolve Cold Phlegm: (Zhi) Ban Xia

半夏

Ban Xia

Ban = half
Xia = summer

Often called "Zhi" Ban Xia, Zhi meaning "prepared." If it is raw, or unprepared (fresh/sheng), it is toxic.

The Ban Xia in my bag from Mayway says "Jiang" after it, which means it has been gingered. The plant is also nicknamed "crow dipper" in English and is included in the diet pill Relacore.

As typical for this category, it travels to the lung, spleen, and stomach, is spicy, and toxic when fresh. The live plant looks like this (below), and the part used for Ban Xia is the little root ball below the dirt:



This herb is a "premiere herb," according to Dennis. It appears in many formulas when I do a Google search for it. To me, Ban Xia looks like little phlegm rocks or nodules, which is helpful in remembering its function: to descend rebellious LU and ST Qi (like a dropped rock descends), to transform phlegm, and dissipate nodules and clumps.

It expels phlegm by the action of drying. The herb is warm, so it should not be used with a yin deficient cough or with excess fire sore throat. In the stomach, it is useful to stop vomiting by descending rebellious stomach qi (as mentioned above), and for stomach deficiency and heat, and during pregnancy.

From the notes (because the above is all over the place), Ban Xia:

1. Dries Dampness, Descends Rebellious Lung Qi, Transforms phlegm from copious cold (thin, watery) sputum

2. Stops vomiting, Descends Rebellious Stomach Qi

3. Dissipates nodules, reduces clumps (chest pain, goiter)

Opens, Disseminates, is Slippery, and moves Downward (ODSD)