Galium, Cleavers

Goosegrass; Gallion, Aparine, Aspergula, Philanthropos
Zangs rtsi dkar po ཟངས་རྩི་དཀར་པོ་ (Tibet)
Picture Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578

Picture Flora von Deutschland (28), Kohler, 1886

Picture

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Botanical name:


Galium aparine

Parts used:


Herb

Temperature & Taste:


Mildly Cool, dry (slightly Moist when fresh). Bitter, Pungent, slightly Sweet

Classifications:


B. Clears Heat and Toxin

Uses:


1. Clears Heat and Poison, Resolves Swellings and Masses:
-Swellings, Lymphatic nodes, Scrofula, Tumors
-Cancer, especially of the Breast or Lymphatics (Salmon listed it for Breast Cancer)
-topically applied to open Cancers.

2. Clears Heat from the Blood, Resists Poison:
-Eczema, Psoriasis, Leprosy
-specific for ‘nodulated growths or deposits in skin or mucous membranes’. (Scudder)
-Fever, Scarlet Fever, Eruptive Fevers
-Venomous Bites; Spider, Snake (juice taken)

3. Clears Liver Heat:
-Jaundice
-Hepatitis
-Epilepsy, Hysteria

4. Clears Heat, Promotes Urine, Clears Stones:
-hot, burning or obstructed Urine; Edema, Gonorrhea, Cystitis, Prostatitis, Hematuria
-‘It is an excellent and speedy remedy in suppression of the urine and Gravel … it is regarded as a solvent of stone in the Bladder’ (Vitalogy)
-‘Used with decided success in treating children for incontinence of Urine (wetting the bed)’. (Vitalogy)

5. Moves the Blood:
-Hippocrates used it to promote Menstruation

6. Externally:
-Sunburn, Scalds and Burns, Sores and Blisters;
-‘the Cold infusion will remove Freckles when it is drunk 2-3 times a day for 2-3 months, and the parts frequently washed with it’ (Vitalogy)
-‘many cutaneous diseases, as Psoriasis, Eczema, Lichen, Cancer and Scrofula’ (King’s)
-Scrofula, mixed with Lard and applied (Dioscorides)
-Indolent Tumors; it is applied as a wash to Skin Cancers, and is used as a mouth wash and gargle for Mouth Cancers.
-Earache.
-Burns Wounds and Abscesses Wounds (Tibet)


Dose:


Decoction: a handful of the fresh herb boiled in 1 liter of water can be taken over the day. The decoction taken throughout the day as common drink for up to 6–12 months has been credited with curing numerous cases of Cancer.

Substitute:


In Tibetan Medicine, Artemisia hedinii is used as a type of Zangs rtsi.
Picture

Main Combinations:


1. To promote Urine, Cleavers with Broom
2. Suppressed Urine, Cleavers with

 … available in PRO version


3. Suppressed and Burning Urine:
i. Cleavers with

 … available in PRO version


ii. Cleavers with

 … available in PRO version


4. Gravel and Stones, Cleavers with

 … available in PRO version


5. Skin diseases in general, Cleavers with

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6. Acne, Abscess, Skin disease, Arthritis, Cleavers with

 … available in PRO version


7. Psoriasis:
i. Cleavers with

 … available in PRO version


ii. Cleavers with

 … available in PRO version


8. Swollen Glands:
i. Cleavers and

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ii. Cleavers,

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9. Scrofula:
i. Cleavers,

 … available in PRO version


ii. Cleavers with

 … available in PRO version


10. Hepatitis, Liver inflammation, Cleavers with

 … available in PRO version


11. ‘A pottage made of Cleavers, a little mutton and oatmeal is good to cause lankness and keep from fatness.’ (Pliny)
12. Plaster for Trauma and Bruising, juice of Cleavers and

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13. Cancer:
i.

 … available in PRO version


ii.

 … available in PRO version



Major Formulas:


Decoction to Purify
Decoction for Hepatitis

Cautions:


1. Not used in Cold bodies

Main Preparations used:


Distilled Water, Ointment