Pogostemon seu Agastache, Huo Xiang 藿香

Wrinkled Giant-Hyssop, Patchouli (Agastache)
Cablin Patchouli (Pogostemon)
Huo Xiang (Agastache) (TCM)
Guang Huo Xiang (Pogostemon) (TCM)
Paachi (Pogostemon, Ayurveda)
Picture Agastache rugosa
Photo by Dalgial (Wikimedia)

Picture Pogostemon cablin
Photo by Forest & Kim Starr (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Two different herbs supply Huo Xiang:
  1. Agastache rugosa (Tu Huo Xiang)
  2. Pogostemon cablin (syn. P. patchouli var. sauvis, Mentha cablin) (Guang Huo Xiang)

Parts used:


Herb

Temperature & Taste:


Warm, dry. Pungent, Aromatic

Classification:


J. Aromatics that Resolve Dampness

Uses:


1. Aromatically Transforms Damp, Benefits the Stomach:
-Nausea, Vomiting
-Morning Sickness
-Cold-Damp during the Summer with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
-lingering Damp blocking the Stomach with epigastric distention and vomiting
-also for Scanty Urine from Damp obstruction
-Older TCM texts note it to clarify the Spirit

2. Clears Summer-heat and Damp, Clears the Exterior:
-Heat and Damp during the Summer, with obstruction of the abdomen
-Fever, Malaria, Typhoid, Encephalitis, Leptospirosis
-Nasal congestion, Sinusitis, Headache
-Dysentery
-Heatstroke (fresh herb can be used as a stand-alone herb)

3. Moves the Qi, Opens Obstruction:
-Menstrual discomfort and cramping
-Chest oppression, Angina Pectoris


Dose:


1. Fresh leaf: best used for Summer-heat (heatstroke or heat disease in summer)
2. Dry Leaf: best for acute Wind-Cold disorders with internal Damp
3. Stalk: best for nausea and vomiting
Infusion (1 in 10): half–1 fluid ounce
Decoction: 6–9 grams; added in the last few minutes of decocting and infused for 10 minutes.

Comment:


1. The above two plants both supply Huo Xiang of TCM. Pogostemon is generally regarded as stronger and is generally preferred. It has a stronger, more penetrating scent with a Pungent and Bitter taste, making it perfect for clearing through turbid damp obstruction.
2. Commonly used to prevent fleas, knats, ants, moths and mosquitoes. It can be hung up in the home or placed among clothes to prevent moths.

Main Combinations:


1. Influenza with nausea, vomiting, poor appetite from Wind-Cold-Damp, Pogostemon/Agastache with Perilla Zi Su Ye
2. Acute / externally-contracted Damp, Pogostemon/Agastache with Eupatorium Pei Lan and Schizonepeta Jing Jie
3. Summer-heat, Pogostemon/Agastache with Mint (preferably fresh)
4. Nausea, vomiting with fullness and distention of the epigastrium and chest, Pogostemon/Agastache, Magnolia Hou Po, Poria Fu Ling, Citrus Chen Pi
5. Morning Sickness:
i. Pogostemon/Agastache with Amomum Sha Ren
ii. Pogostemon/Agastache with fresh Ginger as an infusion
6. Vomiting and Diarrhea:
i. from Spleen and Stomach weakness, Pogostemon/Agastache with Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Poria Fu Ling, fresh Ginger
ii. from Damp-Heat, Pogostemon/Agastache with Coptis Huang Lian, Scutellaria Huang Qin
7. Headache, Gastroenteritis, acute Diarrhea or Food Poisoning with predominately Damp symptoms, Pogostemon/Agastache with Angelica Bai Zhi, Pinellia Ban Xia, Citrus Chen Pi, Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Poria Fu Ling, Magnolia Hou Po, Licorice, fresh Ginger (as in Huo Xiang Zhen Qi Shui)
8. Infantile Diarrhea from Damp-Heat without Fever, Pogostemon/Agastache with Magnolia Hou Po, Citrus peel Chen Pi, Poria Fu Ling
9. Early-stage Infectious Damp-Heat disease with Fever, heaviness, body aches, abdominal distention, scanty urine, Pogostemon/Agastache with Scutellaria Huang Qin, Artemisia scoparia Yin Chen Hao
10. Early-stage Dysentery with Fever, Pogostemon/Agastache with Pueraria Ge Gen, Saposhnikovia Fang Feng, Schizonepeta Jing Jie, Platycodon Jie Geng, Licorice
11. Typhoid from Damp-Heat, Pogostemon/Agastache with Talc, Poria Fu Ling, Forsythia Lian Qiao, Fritillaria Bei Mu, Amomum Bai Dou Kou, Calamus (Shi Chang Pu) (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
12. Prevention of Epidemic Encepahlitis B from Summer-heat and Damp, Pogostemon/Agastache with Isatis Ban Lan Gen, Calamus (Shi Chang Pu), Chrysanthemum Ju Hua, (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
13. Hepatosplenomegaly from Qi stagnation, Pogostemon/Agastache, Cyperus rotundus, Orange peel, Platycodon Jie Geng, Salvia Dan Shen (Barefoot Doctors Manual)

Major Formulas:


Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui
Huo Po Xia Ling Tang
Mu Xiang Liu Qi Yin
Po Chai Pills
Shi Xiang Fan Sheng Wan

Cautions:


Not used in Heat from Yin deficiency.

Main Preparations used:


Distilled Water