Gang Song
StarBaeckea frutescens L.
Synonyms: Baeckea chinensis Gaertn., Baeckea sinensis Gaertn., Leptospermum frutescens (L.) J.F.Gmel.
☯ TCM Properties
Dispels Damp Heat; Kills parasites and relieves itching; Promotes the circulation of Qi and alleviates pain
Traditional Chinese Uses
Gang Song (Folium Baeckeae Frutescens, 崗松) is bitter and cold and is used to clear and drain Damp-Heat. It dispels Damp-Heat and is applied for damp-heat patterns including jaundice, dysentery, damp-heat sores and skin eruptions, urinary dribbling and summerheat conditions. It kills parasites and relieves itching, so decoctions and washes are used externally for eczema, tinea, scabies and itchy damp skin lesions. It also promotes the circulation of Qi and alleviates pain, easing epigastric and abdominal distension and rheumatic aching. In folk practice the aromatic dried herb is burned as a fumigant or decocted for colds, headache and influenza. It is generally well tolerated; the cold, draining nature warrants caution in Spleen-Stomach deficiency-cold.
Botanical Description
Baeckea frutescens is a heath-like evergreen shrub of the Myrtaceae, reaching 1-3 m, with slender wiry branchlets and crowded, small, needle-like linear leaves that are aromatic when crushed. It produces tiny solitary white 5-petalled flowers in the leaf axils, followed by minute capsular fruits. The plant favours poor, sandy, acidic soils on open hillsides and heathland. The dried leafy aerial parts (Folium Baeckeae Frutescens), known in Chinese as Gang Song (崗松), constitute the medicinal material; they are strongly aromatic and bitter. Gang Song is botanically and therapeutically distinct from the superficially similar-sounding Gan Song (甘松, Nardostachys), which is an unrelated valerian-family root.
Open sunny hillsides, sandy acidic heathland, pine barrens and coastal scrub in warm-temperate to tropical zones.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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