Baeckea, Gang Song 岗松 Gang Song (TCM)

Baeckea frutescens
Curtis, W., Curtis’s botanical magazine (1828)

Baeckea frutescens
Photo by Wibowo Djatmiko) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:

Baeckea frutescens

Parts used:

Whole plant; Leaf, Root, Flower

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, dry. Bitter, Pungent

Uses:

1. Move the Blood, Open Obstruction, Eases Pain:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea
-has been used to induce Abortion
-Bruising, Swelling and Pain from Trauma
-Heart disease
-Cirrhosis

2. Clears Wind-Heat, Resists Poison:
-Cold, Flu, Fever (root, herb)
-Itchy, dry and red skin rashes; Pruritus, Eczema, Scabies (Whole plant, internally and as a wash)
-Poison Insect and Snake Bites, Centipede, Scorpion, Wasp stings (leaf, topically and internally)
-Rheumatic Heart Disease
-Burns and Scalds (leaf, topically)
-also Insecticidal

3. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Strangury, Cystitis, difficult or obstructed Urine (root, herb)
-Rheumatism or Muscle pain from Wind-Damp-Heat (root)
-Enteritis, Diarrhea (root, herb)
-Hepatitis, Jaundice (root)

4. Externally:
-sores, boils, abscesses, toxic sores, itchy skin, burns and scalds, as a wash topically
-Toxic insect and snake bites, beat the herb and apply topically
-muscle and joint pain, rheumatism (as a wash or bath)
-athletes feet, tinea, as a foot bath
-Vaginal itching, used as a wash topically

Dose:

Decoction of the Whole Herb: 15–30 grams
As a wash for Red, Itchy skin diseases, Sores and Eczema. The fresh herb can be crushed and applied topically.

Main Combinations:

1. Functional Uterine Bleeding, Baechea root with Melastoma dodecandrum and Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris)
2, Rheumatic Heart disease, Baechea root with Camellia oleifera root, Broad-leaved Actinidia cooked with Pig Heart.
3. Bruising, Swelling and Pain from Trauma, beat the herb to extract the juice with boiling water, add sugar and drink.
4. Heart disease, decoct the root with a Pig Heart, and drink the soup.
5. Rheumatism or Muscle pain, decoct 15–30 grams in water and drink daily.
6. Liver cirrhosis, Baechea with St. John’s wort (9 grams each in decoction)

Major Formulas:

Cautions:

Avoid during Pregnancy

Main Preparations used:

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Research

1. Antibacterial 2. Anti-inflammatory 3. Hepatoprotective 4. Cytotoxic