She Gan
StarIris domestica (L.) Goldblatt & Mabb. (syn. Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.)
☯ TCM Properties
Clears Heat and Resolves Toxicity; Expels Phlegm; Benefits the Throat; Descends Lung Qi and Stops Cough; Disperses Accumulations and Dissipates Nodules
Traditional Chinese Uses
She Gan (belamcanda rhizome, blackberry lily) is a cold, bitter herb that clears Lung and throat Heat, disperses Phlegm, and reduces swelling. It is a primary herb for sore throat, swollen tonsils, and hoarseness from Lung Heat or Phlegm-Fire — conditions where the throat is red, swollen, and painful. Its Phlegm-dispersing action also extends to cough and wheezing with heat-phlegm accumulation in the Lungs.
Botanical Description
Iris domestica (L.) Goldblatt & Mabb. (syn. Belamcanda chinensis, Iridaceae), commonly called blackberry lily or leopard flower, is a perennial herb native to East Asia, growing 60-120 cm tall with flat, fan-shaped rosettes of equitant lance-shaped leaves and branched flowering stems bearing 5-6 cm orange flowers spotted with red. After flowering it produces dehiscent capsules exposing shiny black seeds resembling a blackberry. The medicinal She Gan is the dried rhizome, harvested in autumn, irregular in shape, yellow-brown externally and orange-yellow within, rich in isoflavones (tectoridin, irigenin, irisflorentin) and triterpenoids. In traditional Chinese medicine, She Gan is bitter and cold, entering the lung channel; it clears heat, resolves fire toxicity, transforms phlegm, and benefits the throat, used principally for sore swollen throat with phlegm-heat, cough with copious yellow phlegm, and phlegm obstruction with wheezing. It is the chief herb in She Gan Ma Huang Tang.
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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