Elephantopus, Ding Shu Xiu 丁竖朽
Ding Shu Xiu, Ku Di Dan (TCM)Gojivha (Ayurveda)
Yanaichhuvadi (Siddha)
Elephantopus scaber Dillenius, J.J., Hortus Elthamensis (1732)
Elephantopus scaber (Photo by Shyamal) (Wikimedia)
Specimen of Elephantopus scaber at the Guangzhou TCM Museum (Adam, 2024)Botanical name:
Elephantopus scaber
Parts used:
Whole Herb is most used in TCM
Root is most used in Ayurveda
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Sweet, Bitter
Uses:
1. Clears Heat, Resists Poison:
-Fever, Common Cold, Influenza (TCM, Ayurveda)
-Intermittent Fever, Malaria, Typhoid Fever (Ayurveda)
-Sore Throat, Tonsillitis, Pharyngitis
-Chronic Bronchitis, Whooping Cough
-Boils, Abscesses, Toxic Sores
-Conjunctivitis
-Headache, Migraine
-Snake and Insect Bites
2. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Edema, Dysuria, Nephritis, swelling of the legs (TCM, Ayurveda)
-Jaundice
-Leukorrhea
-acute Gonorrhea
-Diarrhea, Dysentery
-Stomach pain, Vomiting, Gastric Ulcers (Ayurveda)
3. Clears Heat from the Blood:
-Eczema
-Menstrual disorders with Heat
4. Promotes and Regulates Menstruation: (Ayurveda)
-regulates menstruation (Ayurveda)
-taken for 2–3 weeks before birth to promote easier delivery. (Ayurveda)
5. Externally:
-paste is applied to Ulcers and Eczema (Ayurveda)
-root paste is applied to Wounds (Unani)
-applied to Hemorrhoids (Ayurveda)
-applied to Scabies (Ayurveda)
-root powder is applied to Toothache (Ayurveda)
-root paste is applied to the forehead for Headache (Ayurveda)
Dose:
Decoction: 6–15 grams (15–30 grams fresh)
Comment:
The root is reportedly used as an aphrodisiac in Nepal.
Main Combinations:
1. Cough and Cold, Elephantopus root is made into a paste with Ghee and applied to the chest. (Ayurveda)
2. Headache or Migraine:
i. Elephantopus with Vervain (Ma Bian Cao), Ligusticum Chuan Xiong (TCM)
ii. Elephantopus root powder with salt is put up the opposite nostril to the side with migraine. (Ayurveda)
3. Chronic Bronchitis, Elephantopus root with Rauwolfia leaf (equal parts), as a powder, 5 grams twice daily. (Ayurveda)
4. Pleuritis, Elephantopus with Solanum xanthocarpum Huang Shui Qie, Vitis amurensis Shan Pu Tao
5. Diarrhea, Dysentery:
i. Elephantopus root powder is used in 5–10 gram doses. (India)
ii. Diarrhea in infants, root powder is taken with Honey, or root decoction (1 teaspoonful) is taken with Goat’s Milk. (Ayurveda)
iii. Dysentery with blood, Elephantopus root powder is taken with Black Pepper
6. Cystitis, Gynostemma Jiao Gu Lan, Ludwigia Shui Ding Xiang
7. Edema, Elephantopus with Ludwigia Shui Ding Xiang, Poria Fu Ling, Polyporus Zhu Ling
8. Nephritis:
i. Elephantopus with Knotgrass (Bian Xu), Dianthus Qu Mai, Corn silk (Yu Mi Xu), Talcum (Hua Shi), Licorice
ii. with Edema, Elephantopus with Ludwigia Shui Ding Xiang, Alisma Ze Xie
9. Stones, Elephantopus root powder with Marsdenia. (Ayurveda)
10. High Uric acid, Elephantopus with Ludwigia Shui Ding Xiang, Vitis amurensis Shan Pu Tao
11. Promote easier childbirth, root juice is taken (1 teaspoonful each morning) for 2–3 weeks before due date. (Ayurveda)
12. Expel the Placenta, root is taken with Jaggery (Ayurveda)
13. Snake Bite:
i. 7 pieces of root (2–3cm each) are eaten to treat Snake Bite (Ayurveda)
ii. roots with roots of Croton roxburghii (equal parts) are taken in 5 gram doses every 2–3 hours. (Ayurveda)
14. Toothache, root powder with Black Pepper is applied.
Major Formulas:
Cautions:
None noted.
It is cold, so not suited to Cold and weak digestion