Lepidium seed (Tinglizi)
Pharmaceutical Name: Semen Lepiddi seu Descurainiae.
Botanical Name: 1. Lepidium apetalum Willd.; 2. Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb et prantl
Common Name: Lepidium seed, Descurainia seed, pepper weed seed, tansy mustard seed.
Source of Earliest Record: Shennong Bencao Jing
Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The whole plant is harvested in the period of the Beginning of Summer (seventh solar term) and dried in the sun. Then the seeds are collected.
Properties & Taste: Bitter, pungent and very cold
Meridians: Lung and urinary bladder.
Functions: 1. To reduce phlegm in the lungs and soothe asthma; 2. To promote urination and reduce edema
Indications & Combinations:
1. For cough with copious sputum, stuffy chest, and asthma due to accumulation of Phlegm in the Lung. For cough with copious sputum, Rebellious Qi, insomnia, and edema, it is used with Fructus Zizyphi Jujubae (Da Zao) in “The Decoction of Dispersing the Lung of Semen Lepidii and Fructus Zizyphi Jujubae” (Ting Li Da Zao Xie Fei Tang).
2. Edema or dysuria. Lepidium seed (Tinglizi) is used with Tetrandra root (Fangji) and Rhubarb (Dahuang) in the formula Ji Jiao Li Huang Wan.
Dosage: 3-10 g, decocted in water for an oral dose.
Precautions: None noted.
