Zhi Mu - Anemarrhena Rhizome

Clinical Applications

Clears heat, drains fire - high fever, irritability, thirst, and a rapid flooding pulse in patterns of excessive heat in the lungs and/or stomach; cough due to lung heat with thick yellow sputum.
Nourishes yin, moistens dryness - deficiency of lung and kidney yin, night sweats, steaming bone disorder, irritability, afternoon or low-grade fevers, bleeding gums, five-center heat; also for kidney heat signs - spermatorrhea, nocturnal emission, high sexual desire.
Generates fluids and clears heat - oral ulcers and inflammation due to yin deficiency, wasting and thirsting disorder.

Ideal choice where heat has dried the yin fluid.
The herb may be fried in salt water to enhance the nourishing kidney function.
Often combined with tonifying/warming herbs when they may be too hot/drying (Huang Qi, Gui Zhi, Zhi Fu Zi, etc.).
Research has shown this herb to have antibacterial properties.

Relationships

TCM Formulas that include Zhi Mu (14)