Jiu Jie Chang Pu
StarAnemone altaica Fisch. ex C.A.Mey.
☯ TCM Properties
Transforms Phlegm, opens the orifices, calms the Shen, awakens the Spleen and resolves toxicity
Traditional Chinese Uses
Jiu Jie Chang Pu, the dried rhizome of Anemone altaica, is classed among the substances that open the orifices. Acrid and warm, entering the Heart, Liver, Spleen and Stomach channels, it transforms turbid Phlegm, opens the sensory orifices, quiets the Shen, awakens the Spleen and resolves toxicity. It is used chiefly for Phlegm clouding the Heart orifices: clouded consciousness, muddled thinking, childhood convulsions and febrile seizures, epilepsy and mania, and for Phlegm-obstruction manifesting as tinnitus, deafness or chest and epigastric fullness.
Despite the shared name "Chang Pu," this Ranunculaceae rhizome is botanically unrelated to true Shi Chang Pu (Acorus) and is a distinct, historically substituted material. Like other buttercup-family plants it carries mild toxicity, so it is given in small, controlled doses.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Jiu Jie Chang Pu (九節菖蒲) is the dried rhizome of Anemone altaica Fisch. ex C.A. Mey. (Ranunculaceae), a small perennial herb of mountain forests in northern and central China, particularly Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, and Gansu. The plant grows to about 15 cm tall from a slender, jointed, horizontal rhizome marked by conspicuous nodal scars (the 'nine joints' of the name), bearing palmately divided basal leaves and solitary white flowers with 8–10 tepals in early spring. The rhizome is collected in late spring or early summer, washed, fibrous rootlets removed, and dried. In TCM, Jiu Jie Chang Pu is classified as pungent and warm, entering the Heart and Liver channels, and is used to open the orifices, transform phlegm, calm the spirit, and quicken yang for confusion, poor memory, epilepsy, and phlegm-clouded consciousness. It is frequently confused with, but not interchangeable with, Shi Chang Pu (Acorus tatarinowii).
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| powder | 0.3-1g | 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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