Mosla seu Elsholtzia, Xiang Ru 香茹

Aromatic Madder (Mosla)
Created Latesummer Mint (Elsholtzia)
Xiang Ru (TCM)
Picture Elsholtzia ciliata
Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, Netherlands / Wikimedia commons

Picture Elsholtzia ciliata
(Photo by Prenn) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


This herb is supplied by 2 species:
  1. Mosla chinensis (syn. Orthodon chinensis)
  2. Elsholtzia ciliata, E. splendens

Parts used:


Herb

Temperature & Taste:


Warm, dry. Pungent

Classification:


A. Clear Exterior Wind-Cold

Uses:


1. Clears Wind-Cold, Promotes Sweating:
-Wind-Cold Cold and Flu
-especially Wind-Cold during Summer with Damp (Chills and Fever, no sweating, body aches)
-only used for Wind-Cold attack in Summer when there is no sweating.

2. Clear Damp, Harmonizes the Stomach:
-distention and pain of the Stomach and Abdomen
-vomiting and diarrhea

3. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Edema, difficult urination
-especially when related to Wind-Cold or from eating excess cold food and drink


Picture

Dose:


1. Taken hot, it is apt to cause vomiting. Allowing to cool reduces this effect.
2. Lower doses have been claimed to be more effective in relieving acute Wind-Cold and Summerheat conditions.
Decoction: 3–6 grams (up to 9 grams)

Correctives:


1. Scutellaria Huang Qin, Coptis Huang Lian
2. Apricot kernel (Xing Ren)

Main Combinations:


1. Exterior Wind-Cold:
i. Wind-Cold with interior Damp, Mosla Xiang Ru with Magnolia Hou Po
ii. Cold during the Summer with fever, chills, no sweating, Mosla Xiang Ru with Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Forsythia Lian Qiao
iii. Summerheat with Damp (fever, chills, gastrointestinal symptoms including abdominal pain), Mosla Xiang Ru with Pogostemon Huo Xiang
iv. Summerheat-Damp-type Common Cold (Cold during Summer with damp symptoms, most common in hot and humid areas), Mosla Xiang Ru with Pogostemon Huo Xiang, Eupatorium Pei Lan, Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Forsythia Lian Qiao, Coptis Huang Lian, Magnolia Huo Xiang
2. Spleen damp fluid retention with exterior Wind-Cold, Mosla Xiang Ru with Atractylodes Bai Zhu
3. Edema with Fever and scanty, high-colored urine, Mosla Xiang Ru with Imperata Bai Mao Gen, Leonurus Yi Mu Cao

Major Formulas:



Cautions:


1. Not used in cases with profuse sweating.
2. Taken hot, it can induce vomiting in some people.

Main Preparations used: