Imperata, Bai Mao Gen 白茅根

Japanese Blood Grass, Lalang Grass, Woolly Grass, Thatch Grass
Bai Mao Gen (TCM)
Darbha (Ayurveda)
Picture Jaume Saint-Hilaire, J.H., La flore et la pomone francaises, vol. 5  (1832)

Picture Imperata cylindrica
(Photo by L. M. Marsh) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Imperata cylindrica var. major
There are a number of synonyms:
  • Imperata allang, I. angolensis, I. arundinacea, I. dinteri, I. filifolia Nees, I. koenigii, I. laguroides, I. latifolia, I. pedicellata, I.  praecoquis, I. robustior, I. sieberi, I. sisca, I. thunbergii,
  • Saccharum cylindricum, S. diandrum, S. europaeum, S. indum, S. koenigii, S. laguroides
  • Lagurus cylindricus; Arundo epigeios; Calamagrostis lagurus,

Parts used:


Root; also the fresh herb

Temperature & Taste:


Cold, dry. Sweet

Classifications:


L. Stop Bleeding

Uses:


1. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:
-various types of Bleeding from Heat
-Coughing or Vomiting Blood, Blood in the Urine, Blood nose (TCM, Ayurveda)
-Internal Abscess (Sushruta)

2. Clear Heat from the Lungs and Stomach:
-Heat diseases with Thirst
-Nausea and Thirst from Stomach heat
-Fever, with dark Urine and Thirst
-Diarrhea, Dysentery (Ayurveda)

3. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Urinary Tract Infection; difficult, painful Urination; Dysuria (TCM, Ayurveda)
-Edema in acute Nephritis (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
-Jaundice (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
–Charaka recommended the flowers for Stones; used for Kidney and Gall Stones in Thailand
-used for Gonorrhea and Obesity in Ayurveda


Comment:


1. The fresh herb is stronger to clear Heat, cool the Blood and stop Bleeding. It is especially effective for Thirst.
2. The flower is used the same as the root, especially for Bleeding in the Upper body.
3. In India, it is one of the ‘5 Grasses (Trinapancha mula)’, the others being Saccharum officinarum, S. spontaneum, Arundo donax, Desmostachya bipinnata. These 5 roots are decocted for urinary diseases  including Strangury, suppressed Urine

Dose:


Decoction: 9–30 grams (30–60 grams of the fresh rhizome)

Substitutes:


1. Desmostachya bipinnata (originally viewed as a variety of Imperata in Ayurveda)
2. Couch Grass can be substituted for Urinary disorders.

Preparation:


1. Carbonised Root:
  Heat in a dry wok until scorched or charred. This is stronger to stop Bleeding.

Main Combinations:


1. Bleeding:
i. Coughing Blood, Blood in the Urine from Heat, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Lotus root (Ou Jie) and Crisium Xiao Ji. Stronger if the fresh herbs or juice are used.
ii. Bleeding in the Upper Body, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Crisium Da Ji, Lotus leaf (He Ye), Biota leaf (Ce Bai Ye), Madder (Qian Cao Gen), Gardenia Zhi Zi, Paeonia Mu Dan Pi, Rhubarb (Da Huang) (as in Shi Hui San, from Shi Yao Shen Shu [A Miraculous Book on Ten Recipes])
iii. Blood in the Urine, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang and Poria Fu Ling
2. Urinary diseases:
i. Hot, painful Urine, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Musk Mallow seed (Dong Kui Zi), Pyrrosia Shi Wei
ii. Difficulty Urinating, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Cynanchum paniculatum, Akebia, Dianthus, Talcum, Betel nut, and Glauber’s Salt (Mang Xiao) (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
iii. Stranguria, suppressed Urine, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Licorice, Cucumber seed, Melon seed, Tabasheer, Emblic Myrobalan, Cardamon (Ayurveda)
iv. Dysuria, Urinary Stones, Burning Urine, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Tribulus seed, Lesser Cardamon, Asparagus root, Raisins, Licorice (Ayurveda)
3. Edema:
i. Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Adzuki bean (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
ii. from Damp-Heat and deficiency, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Red Bean (Chi Xiao Dou)
iii. from Deficiency, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Astragalus Huang Qi
4. Nephritis, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Golden Rod and Lagenaria siceraria (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
5. Fever, with dark Urine and Thirst, Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang and Gypsum (Shi Gao)
6. Jaundice from Damp-Heat:
i. Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Artemisia Yin Chen Hao
ii. Imperata Bai Mao Gen with Bupleurum Chai Hu and Licorice in decoction (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

Major Formulas:


Brahma Rasayana

Cautions:


1. Not for Cold-type Bleeding
2. Use cautiously in those with Cold and Weak Stomach and Spleen with Diarrhea

Main Preparations used: