State/School

California License Exam, Pacific College Comps

Pharm Name

Zingiberis Rhizoma

Common Name

Ginger (dried)

Category

Warm Interior and Expel Cold

Ingredients

Taste

Acrid

Pao Zhi

Temperature

Hot

Action / Indication

1. Warms the center and expels cold: used to treat chest and abdominal pain and distention, and vomiting or diarrhea due to interior cold blocking the middle associated with deficiency or excess.
2. Restores yang: used to treat cold limbs and extreme weakness associated with devastated yang. Usually paired with Fu Zi for this action.
3. Warms the Lungs and reduces phlegm: used to treat dampness, cold, and phlegm accumulation in the lungs, leading to wheezing, coughing, aversion to cold, and watery sputum.
4. Unblocks the channels and stops bleeding: used to treat bleeding of dark, thin blood, due to cold obstructing the channels.

Treatment Principles

Restores and Warms Yang
Warms the Lungs
Warms the Middle
Warms the Channels
Unblocks the Channels
Transforms Phlegm

Contraindication

Contraindicated for heat in the blood, and yin deficiency heat. Use caution and very low dose only, during pregnancy.

Dosages

3-12g

Meridians

HT, LU, SP, ST

Tom's Comment

1. Gan Jiang is often combined with Fu Zi to address patterns attributed to Devastated Yang.
2. Gan Jiang is the marquee herb to address Middle Burner Cold conditions.
3. Gan Jiang does not have the same functions as Sheng Jiang, even though they are of the same plant.

Source

Formula Type