Ma Huang Gen
English Name: ephedra root
Pharmaceutical Name: Radix Ephedrae
Medica Category: Astringent Herbs
Properties: Ma Huang Gen enters the Lung channel; it is sweet in nature and neutral in temperature.
What is Ma Huang Gen?:
The Chinese Herb Ma Huang Gen is the root of one of three plants in the genus Epherda (Ephedra Sinica Stapf.; E. equisetina Bge.; E. intermedia Schrenk et Mey.). The roots are collected in autumn, cleaned of fibrous material, dried, and cut into segments for use as medicine.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Ma Huang Gen:
Ma Huang Gen is astringent in nature and is indicated for persons presenting clinically with spontaneous sweating and night sweats; it does not, however, address the underlying deficiencies of qi and yin at the root of the problem.
–safety/clinical notes:
Contraindicated for exterior conditions as its astringent nature may trap pathogenic influences in the body.
Ma Huang Gen (ephedra root) and Ma Huang (epherdra herb) have completely different and opposite functions and should not be confused with each other.