Klu bdud bco brgyad  ཀླུ་བདུད་བཅོ་བརྒྱད།
Codonopsis 18
Also known as
Gu gul bco brgyad  གུ་གུལ་བཅོ་བརྒྱད།
Shi Ba Wei Dang Shen Pian (TCM)
Bdellium 18 (or Myrrh 18)

Tradition:


Tibetan

Source / Author:



Herb Name

Klu bdud rdo rje (Codonopsis)
A ru ra (Chebula)
Bi sha (Aconite)
Shu dug nag po (Calamus)

Ru rta (Costus)
Gla rtsi (Musk) *
Spos dkar (Frankincense)
Thal rdor (Cassia seed)
So ma ra dza (Psoralea)
Sle tres (Tinospora)
Gu gul (Bdellium)
Stong zil
Sdig srin (Crab shell) **
Dbang po lag pa (Gymnadenia) ***
Brag zhun (Shilajit)
Ba ru (Belleric)
Skyu ru (Emblic)
Ba sha Ka (Adhatoda)

Latin


Codonopsis nervosa
Terminalia chebula
Aconitum balfourii
Acorus calamus
Saussurea lappa
Moschus

Boswellia sacra
Cassia tora

Psoralea corylifolia
Tinospora cordifolia
Commiphora
mukul
Corydalis trachycarpa
Cancer
Gymnademia crassinervis
Shilajit
Terminalia bellirica
Phyllanthus emblica
Adhatoda vasica

Amount


30 grams
14 grams
60 grams
4 grams
14 grams
1 grams
14 grams
16 grams
14 grams
14 grams
10 grams
2 grams
12 grams
14 grams
2 grams
16 grams
12 grams
12 grams
150 grams
7 grams
300 grams
20 grams
70 grams
5 grams
70 grams
80 grams
70 grams
70 grams
50 grams
10 grams
60 grams
7 grams
10 grams
8 grams
60 grams
60 grams

* Musk substitutes are used today
** the version from Men Tsee Kang lists Catechu (Stod ja) instead of Crab shell.
*** Dactylorhiza hatagirea has been listed by some sources. Many species of Orchid supply the market.

Another version:

Herb Name

Gu gul (Bdellium) **
A ru (Chebula)
Ba ru (Belleric Myrobalan)
Skyu ru (Emblic Myrobalan)
Ru rta (Costus)
Spos dkar (Frankincense)
Thal dkar rdo rje (Cassia)
So ma ra dza
(Psoralea)
Brag zhun (Shilajit)
Sle tres (Tinospora)
Shu dag nag po (Calamus)
Stod ja (Catechu)
Klu bdud rdo rje
Ba sa ka (Adhatoda)
Stong zil
Dbang lag

Bi sha *** ****
Gla rtsi (Musk)

Latin


Commiphora mukul
Terminalia chebula
Terminalia belerica
Emblica officinalis
Saussurea lappa
Boswellia serrata
Cassia tora
Psoralea corylifolia
Asphaltum
Tinospora cordifolia
Acorus calamus
Acacia catechu
Codonopsis nervosa
Adhatoda vasica
Corydalis trachycarpa
Dactylorhiza salina
Aconitum balfouri
Moschus
Amount *
50 grams
7 grams
8 grams
60 grams
70 grams
70 grams
80 grams
70 grams
10 grams
70 grams
20 grams
60 grams
150 grams
60 grams
10 grams
7 grams
100 grams
5 grams
200 grams
300 grams
200 grams
200 grams
200 grams
200 grams
160 grams
160 grams
100 grams
200 grams
300 grams
100 grams
400 grams
200 grams
200 grams
200 grams
200 grams
4 grams

* Two different sources have given different proportions. The left column is from Men Tsee Kang. The right column from Amdo Compendium
** Amdo Compendium lists Gu gul nag po (Myrrh) instead of Bdellium.
*** Amdo Compendium lists Sman Chen (Aconitum ferox). Some sources list Delphinium brunonianum
**** The Men Tsee Kang version (left column) originally listed 300 grams of Aconite. Today, 100 grams is typically used.

Preparation:


Powder and form Pills.

Function:


Tonifies Qi, Clears Wind and Damp, Moves the Blood, Eases Pain

Use:


“Especially helps with ‘bam and grum bu diseases [arthritis and rheumatism]” (Men Tsee Kang)
1. Pain, swelling and redness of the joints with difficult flexion and extension of the joints
2. Gout
3. Arthritis, Rheumatism
, Rheumatoid Arthritis
4. Swelling and pain of the Bones and Joints with dark or purplish color
5. Difficulty in flexing and extension the limbs
6. Edema, Swelling of the legs
7. Sinusitis, chronic Rhinitis
8. Lymphatic disorders
9. Disorders of Serous Fluid (Damp) with Fever

10. Abscess
11. Skin inflammations
12. Rashes and redness of the skin
13. Obstinate Skin diseases with redness and itching, Eczema, Psoriasis
14. Elephantiasis, Leprosy

15. Also Female diseases with Blood stagnation

Dose:


2–3 grams, dissolved in hot water and taken at night

Cautions:


1. Due to the large dose of Aconite, this formula is potentially toxic. Avoid overdose.
2. Not used in the elderly, children, pregnant women.

Modifications:


There are several variations: some list Acacia catechu and Oxytropis reniformis in place of Shilajit and Tinospora.

Codonopsis nervosa is used in Sichuan as a source of Codonopsis Dang Shen, meaning that C. nervosa is a Qi tonic.
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