Zhi Mu
English Name: anemarrhena
Literal Translation: “know about mother”
Pharmaceutical Name: Radix Anemarrhenae
Medica Category: Heat-Clearing and Fire-Purging Herbs
Properties: Zhi Mu enters the Lung, Stomach, and Kidney channels; it is bitter and sweet in nature and cold in temperature.
What is Zhi Mu?:
The Chinese Herb Zhi Mu is the dried root of a perennial plant in the Lily family (Anemarrhena asphodeloides) native to Northern China.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Zhi Mu:
Zhi Mu sedates fire and nourishes yin and body fluids. It is the best choice for treating conditions marked by thirst and excessive perspiration in which the body fluids have been injured by excess heat.
Zhi Mu clears deficiency heat and nourishes yin and thus treats the symptoms of deficiency fire (to include: night sweats and hot flashes, “steaming bones”, and tidal fever).
Zhi Mu is neutralizes/balances the heating and drying effects of warm herbs (in formula) through its qualities of clearing heat and moistening dryness (to nourish damaged yin).