Euphorbia kansui, Gan Sui 甘遂Gan Sui (TCM) |
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Botanical name:
Euphorbia kansui
Parts used:
Prepared Root
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Bitter, Sweet, Toxic
The Euphorbias are all classed as Hot in the Western Tradition.
Uses:
1. Purges Water, Drains Fluid:
-accumulation of fluid in the chest and abdomen
-general Edema, Facial Edema, Ascites
-abdominal distention from fluid and phlegm obstructing
-used for Phlegm diseases in Tibet
-“Purges the 12 kinds of Edema” (Zhen Quan)
-“eliminates abdominal fullness and puffy edema on the face and eye” (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
2. Settles Wind, Clears Phlegm:
-convulsions and seizures from Phlegm obstructing
-Withdrawal-Mania and mental illness associated with Wind and Phlegm
-“effective to treat Epilepsy due to phlegm accumulation” (Li Shi Zhen)
3. Clears Phlegm, Resolves Masses:
-“disperses hard mass, accumulation and assemblage” (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
4. Externally:
-painful and swollen skin nodules and lesions; applied topically
-topically in washes and plasters for Edema and Ascites
-topically to Swellings and Ulcers (TCM)
-for ‘decomposed Wounds’ (Tibet, Norbu)
Dose:
Begin with lower doses, increasing as needed.
Of the Prepared Root: 500mg–1500mg
Preparation:
1. Unprepared Gan Sui root:
The root is harvested, soaked in water, then sliced and dried. This is rarely used internally, but can be used externally in washes and plasters.
2. Roasted Gan Sui Root (Wei Gan Sui):
i. the cleansed root is stir-fried with bran until the bran is scorched, then the bran is removed.
ii. cover the root with dough and roast until the dough is cooked, then remove the root and dry. (Li Shi Zhen)
Roasting reduces toxicity and stop the tendency to cause vomiting.
iii. in Tibet it is roasted with corn until slightly scorched.
3. Vinegar-prepared Root (Cu Gan Sui):
Root is soaked in vinegar then stir-fried, then fully dried in the sun. This greatly reduces its toxicity and moderates its effects. Note that related Euphorbias in the West were prepared by steeping for 3 days in Vinegar..
4. Boiled Root (Zhu Gan Sui):
The root is boiled with bean curd until the middle of the root is not white. It is then sun-dried. (Iron should not be used or the root will turn black–Copper is most commonly used). This also lessens toxicity, but is not as commonly used as a the preceding method.
5. Licorice-prepared.
The fresh root is cut small and saoked in a decoction of Licorice, then wash well in running water. Then heat it in an earthenware jug until crisp, and keep for use. The juice of Adenophora Ji Ni can be added too.
Substitute:
Used similarly to other Euphorbia species. In Tibet Dur byi is also used for Eupohorbia pekinensis.
Main Combinations:
1. Fluid obstructing the Chest:
i. Euphorbia Gan Sui with Pinellia Ban Xia (as in Gan Sui Ban Xia Tang)
ii. fluid and phlegm obstructing the chest Euphorbia Gan Sui with Mustard seed (Bai Jie Zi)
iii. Euphorbia Gan Sui with Euphorbia Da Ji and Jujubes (as in Ten-Jujube Decoction [Shi Zao Tang])
2. Edema:
“After taking drugs to eliminate edema and the syndrome remains, there is one way to further disperse the ailment: Apply powder of Gan Sui all over the abdomen around the umbilicus. Also, administer a decoction of Licorice orally. In this way, edema will be eliminated” (Li Shi Zhen)
3. Ascites:
i. Euphorbia Gan Sui with Licorice applied as a plaster to the navel
ii. Euphorbia Gan Sui with Poke root (Shang Lu)
iii. Euphorbia Gan Sui with Rhubarb (Da Huang), Radish seed (Lai Fu Zi), Aloeswood (Chen Xiang), Clove (Ding Xiang), Borneo Camphor (Bing Pian), artificial Musk (Ren Gong She Xiang) (as in the Medicated Plaster Xiaozhang Tie of TCM). This has been clinically studied and found effective in Cirrhotic Ascites.
4. Intestinal obstruction, Euphorbia Gan Sui with Rhubarb (Da Huang), Magnolia Hou Po and Peach kernel (Tao Ren)
5. Mania-Withdrawal from Wind-Phlegm, Euphorbia Gan Sui with Rhubarb (Da Huang), Pinellia Ban Xia, Hematite (Dai Shi Zhe)
6. Ulcers, Swellings, decoct Euphorbia Da Ji and Rhubarb and use topically.
Major Formulas:
Da Xian Xiong Tang
Gan Sui Ban Xia Tang
Shi Zao Tang
Cautions:
1. It is a drastic purge like other Euphorbias. It should be used very carefully, beginning with a lower dose and increasing as needed. It is generally only used in strong bodies, although applied topically to the navel or abdomen can be used in weaker bodies.
2. Avoid in Pregnancy and the very Young.
3. Only used very briefly, to purge water. It is rarely taken for more than a couple of days (unless well diluted in formula).
4. It damages Yin and Fluids so should not be used in Yin deficiency.
5. It commonly causes nausea and vomiting, which can be lessened by preparing the root (such as roasting), and by taking with Licorice and/or Jujubes (Da Zao).
Main Preparations used:
Li Shi Zhen:
“Phlegm and Damp accumulation will ascend and descend together with the movement of qi. It travels to all body positions. When such a lesion enters the Heart, it will stuff the orifice and cause epilepsy, illusion and delirium. When the lesion invades the Lung, it will cause coughing with the spitting of mucous phlegm, asthma with dyspnoea and cold feeling in the back. When it invades the Liver, it will hide and stay there, causing costal pain and dry nausea with intermittent chills and fevers. When the Channels and Collaterals are invaded, numbness, arthralgia and pain will ensue. When the lesion intrudes into the tendon and bone, it will cause referred pain in the neck, chest, back, waist, costal regions and hands and feet. Chen Wuze, in his book Sanyin Fang advocated that the above diseases could be treated with Kongxian Dan. It is a prescription that works wonders, designed to treat the root cause of phlegm accumulation, which is the accumulation of Water, or Humidity. When such pathogenic factor is intermingled with qi or Fire, it congeals into phlegm, or fluid-retention, or saliva, or phlegm, or watery stool. Euphorbia Da Ji is a drug that can purge the invading pathogenic Humidity resting with the Five Viscera and six Bowels. Euphorbia Gan Sui is a drug that can disperse the invading pathogenic Humidity resting with the Channels and Collaterals”.
Nothing at the moment.