Gur Gum bcu gsum  གུར་གུམ་བཅུ་གསུམ།
Safflower 13

Tradition:


Tibetan

Source / Author:


Men Tsee Kang

Herb Name

Gur gum (Safflower)
Tsan dmar (Red Sandal) **
Li shi (Clove)
Gi wan (Bezoar)
Bse ru (Rhino horn) ***
Mtshal (Cinnabar)
Jam bras (Fever nut) ****
Bong dkar (White Aconite)
Ru rta (Costus)
A ru ra (Chebula)
Ba ru (Belleric)
Skyu ru (Emblic)
Gla rtsi (Musk) *****

Latin


Carthamus tinctorius
Pterocarpus santalinus
Eugenia caryophyllus
Bezoar

Cornu Rhinoceri
Mercuric sulphide
Caesalpinia bonducella
Aconitum heterophyllum
Saussurea lappa
Terminalia chebula
Terminalia bellirica
Phyllanthus emblica
Moschus

Amount *
25 grams
20 grams

10 grams
10 grams
10 grams
10 grams
10 grams
10 grams
10 grams
10 grams
10 grams
10 grams
2 1⁄2 grams
150 gram
100 grams
40 grams
800mg
20 grams
4 grams
50 grams
100 grams
80 grams
180 grams
100 grams
120 grams
700mg

* Two different sources have given different proportions for the medicines in this formula. The right hand column is from Men Tsee Kang.
** Some sources list White Sandalwood
*** Some sources list Deer horn, which is considered to have effects similar to Rhino horn in Tibetan Medicine. Water Buffalo horn concentrate is used today.
**** Fever nut should be lightly fried
***** Some sources list Delphinium brunonianum which is a commonly accepted substitute for Musk in Tibetan Medicine.

Preparation:


Pills

Function:


Clears Liver Heat and Damp, clears Heat and Toxin, strengthens Liver

Use:


Liver discomfort after eating, vomiting acid liquid, fatigue, weakness, deterioration of the Blood
1. Liver Heat and Poison
2. Poor Liver function from poor diet, alcohol, or poisoning
3. Hepatitis
4. Liver toxicity
5. Cirrhosis
6. Kidney (Lower back) Injury
7. Kidney disease
8. Purulent in
flammation of the Kidneys
9. Di
fficulty Urinating
10. Urinary obstruction
11. Infections of the Head (Eyes, Ears, Nose etc)
12. One-sided Headaches; Migraine
13. Sinusitis


Dose:


2–3 grams twice daily with warm water

Cautions:


None noted

Modifications:


1. Bovine bile replaces Bezoar and Water Buffalo horn replaces Rhinoceros horn in modern formulas. Cinnabar should be omitted and Musk substitute or synthetic Musk can be used.
2. When the Four Red Medicines (
Madder, Lacca, Onosma hookeri, Symplocos) are added, it forms Gnyen po bcu brgyad. It is used for similar conditions, but with involvement of Blood stasis as well as for female diseases with Blood stasis.
3. A version available in China omits Caesalpinia, Aconitum, Emblic and Belleric Myrobalan, but adds Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Gardenia Zhi Zi, Melia Chuan Lian Zi and Lotus seed (Lian Zi). These are probably used as Chinese substitutes.


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