Saussurea nepalensis, Kon pa gab skyes ཀོན་པ་གབ་སྐྱེས་

Kon pa gab skyes (Tibet)
Nibo er Feng Mao Ju 尼泊尔风毛菊 (TCM)
Left: Saussurea crepidifolia, Right: S. runcinata
Komarov (Komorov), V.L., Flora of the U.S.S.R. (1934-1964)

Botanical name:

Saussurea spp.
There are 3 types:

1. Kon pa gab skyes (‘Male’): S. nepalensis
2. Kon pa gab chen (‘Female’): S. ilkiangensis (syn. S. przewalskii, S. cirsioides, S. giraldii, S. likiangensis var. integrifolia)
   
3. Pra kha pra chung (Mountain type): Saussurea pachyneura (syn. S. bodinieri, S. kunthiana, S. sikangensis)
   

Others listed include S. runcinata, S. crepidifolia, S. kingii

Parts used:

Whole herb

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, dry. Bitter

Classification:

Uses:

1. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:
-Heat-type bleeding
-new and old Wounds
-Heals ruptured vessels

2. Clears Wind-Heat, Resists Poison:
-Heat disorders from excess Bile, Heat of the Blood
-Fever from Blood and Wind
-Food Poisoning
-hot and toxic swellings
-Neuralgia, Neuritis,
-Headache

Dose:

Powder: 1–3 grams

Comment:

This medicine is commonly used as a vegetable substitute for Bear Bile in Tibetan Medicine.

Substitute:

‘Similar potency to Nux vomica’ (Norbu)

Main Combinations:

Major Formulas:

Cautions:

None noted

Main Preparations used: