SOPHORAE, Radix (Chinese: Ku Shen)

Size: 10 gm

Actions: Clears heat and dries dampness. Disperses wind, kills parasites, and stops itching. Clears heat and promotes urination. Very bitter and very cold, with a descending nature, Ku Shen expels winds, stops itching, and promotes urination. Use externally as a wash for itching, urticaria, scabies, eczema, and similar skin problems.

Packets can be taken singley or combined with other herbs to make a formula. Use one packet to four cups water. Drink 1-3 cups per day. Please consult Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd Ed. (see link below) for more information on the uses of individual herbs. We have many other books that give recipes for formulas that you can make with the Sanjiu herbs