What are the medicinal values ​​of roasted ephedra

Roasted ephedra is one of the most frequently used Chinese herbal medicines. Roasted ephedra is effective in treating colds, fever and coughs. Roasted ephedra can be seen in the ingredient introduction on the instructions of Chinese patent medicines for treating such diseases. So what other medicinal values ​​does roasted ephedra have? Today I will give you a detailed introduction here.

1. Used for wind-cold symptoms. This product has a strong pungent, warm and dispersing nature. It can open the pores and penetrate the hair pores to disperse the wind and cold evil qi that invades the skin surface. Among the drugs for dispelling wind and cold, it has the strongest diaphoretic effect and is an important diaphoretic and antipyretic drug. It is suitable for treating external wind-cold syndrome with closed pores and no sweat. To treat this syndrome, ephedra and cinnamon twig are used together to enhance the power of sweating, dispelling cold and relieving exterior symptoms. Because it also has the effect of relieving asthma, it is particularly suitable for those who have wind-cold exterior syndrome with wheezing, nausea and cough, such as Ma Huang Decoction in "Treatise on Febrile Diseases". This product can also be used together with other wind-cold dispersing drugs, such as Shishen Decoction in Hejijufang, which is used in combination with drugs such as Perilla frutescens.

2. Used for asthma and cough. This product has a pungent and dispersing nature with a slightly bitter and descending nature. It can open up the blocked skin and hair to allow the lung qi to flow freely; it can descend the upward Qi internally to restore the lung's normal function of descending and calming. Therefore, it is good at relieving asthma. It is the main medicine for treating asthma and cough caused by stagnation of lung qi, and is often used with cough and asthma suppressants such as almonds as an auxiliary. This herb is most suitable for treating wheezing, coughing and retching caused by external wind-cold and failure of the lungs to diffuse and descend. Its effects of dispersing wind-cold and relieving wheezing can comprehensively target the etiology and pathology of the syndrome, such as Sanao Decoction in Hejijufang. For cough and wheezing caused by excessive lung heat and upward lung qi, this product can still be used to promote and descend lung qi to relieve wheezing, such as the Ephedra, Almond, Licorice and Gypsum Decoction in "Treatise on Febrile Diseases". Those who suffer from wheezing, coughing and excessive phlegm need to use expectorant drugs, such as Dingchuan Decoction in "Wonderful Prescriptions for Health Preservation", which is used together with coltsfoot flower, pinellia tuber, perilla seed, etc.

3. Used for edema. This product has diuretic and swelling-reducing effects and can be used for symptoms of edema and difficulty urinating. Because it can promote lung qi, induce sweat and relieve exterior symptoms, it can dissipate moisture in the skin through the pores, regulate the water channels, and transport it below the bladder to help diuresis, so it is suitable for those who have edema in the early stages and have exterior symptoms. The Gancao Mahuang Decoction in the "Jinkui Yaolue" can be effective when used together with licorice. If it is combined with other diaphoretic and antipyretic drugs and diuretic and anti-edema drugs, the therapeutic effect will be better, such as Yuebi Jiashu Decoction in "Jinkui Yaolue", which is used together with ginger, Atractylodes macrocephala, etc.

Through this introduction, I believe everyone has a thorough understanding of the medicinal value of roasted ephedra. Roasted ephedra tastes bitter, so many people cannot accept the method of directly decocting it in its original form. However, since roasted ephedra is neutral in nature, it is most appropriate for children or the elderly to take roasted ephedra to treat colds, asthma and other symptoms.