☯ TCM Properties
Induces sweating and vents rashes
Traditional Chinese Uses
Xi He Liu (Cacumen Tamaricis), the tender twigs and leaves of Chinese tamarisk (Tamarix chinensis), is an acrid, sweet, warm herb that releases the Exterior, entering the Lung, Stomach and Heart channels. Its signature use is to induce sweating and vent rashes: it out-thrusts measles that are slow or incomplete to erupt, promoting a full, even eruption, and is combined with venting herbs such as Niu Bang Zi, Chan Tui and Bo He.
By dispersing Wind and opening the surface it also relieves Wind-Heat or Wind-Cold colds with fever, and eases Wind-Damp joint pain and itchy Wind-rash skin conditions (used internally and as an external wash). Because it disperses and promotes sweating, Xi He Liu is contraindicated once measles have fully erupted, and in those who are weak with profuse spontaneous sweating; overuse can excessively drain the exterior.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Tamarix chinensis Lour. (Tamaricaceae), Chinese tamarisk or salt cedar, is a deciduous shrub or small tree 3-7 m tall with slender, drooping, reddish-brown branchlets that give a feathery appearance. The leaves are minute, scale-like, lanceolate, sessile, and overlapping along the twigs, 1-3 mm long, glaucous green. Flowers are produced in slender racemes 3-6 cm long, often gathered into large terminal panicles, each flower small (about 2 mm) with five pale pink petals, five sepals, and five stamens. The fruit is a small three-valved capsule containing minute hairy-tufted seeds. Native to eastern and central China, the plant tolerates saline and alkaline soils and is often planted along riverbanks and coasts. The young twigs and leaves, collected in spring or summer, are used in TCM to vent rashes (particularly incompletely expressed measles), dispel wind, and relieve dampness.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 3-9g | 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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