Ding Xiang

Naming

Ding Xiang (Flos Caryophylli)——Lei Gong Pao Zhi Lun (Lei’s Treaties on Preparation of Drugs)

The Processing of Ding Xiang

Origin

The flower bud of Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb. of family Myrtaceae, which is called Gong Ding Xiang.

Location

Guangdong and Hainan provinces of China.

Harvest

Collected in the period of September to March of the next year when the flower buds turn green into red.

The true smell and taste

Heavy aroma, pungent and numb the tongue.

Best quality

Big, red-brownish, heavy with strong fragrance.

Processing

Unprocessed.

The Effect of Ding Xiang

Property

Pungent, warm; spleen, stomach, lung and kidney meridians entered.

Actions

Warm middle energizer and check adverse flow of qi, dispel cold to alleviate pain, warm kidney and reinforce yang.

Indications

A. Vomiting and hiccup due to stomach cold

It has the actions of warming middle energizer and dispersing cold, so it is good at checking adverse rise of qi to arrest vomiting and stop hiccup and is the essential herb for vomiting and hiccup due to stomach cold. It is usually combined with the herbs of warming middle energizer, tonifying qi and checking the adverse rise of qi. For vomiting due to deficiency-cold, it is combined with Shi Di, Ren Shen and Sheng Jiang. For instance they are used together in Ding Xiang Shi Di Tang from Zheng Yin Mai Zhi. For vomiting, diarrhea and poor appetite due to deficiency-cold of spleen-stomach, it is usually combined with Bai Zhu and Sha Ren. For morning sickness, it is combined with Ren Shen and Huo Xiang from Zheng Zhi Zhun Sheng.

B. Gastro-abdominal cold pain

It has the action of dispersing cold to alleviating pain. For gastro-abdominal cold pain, it is combined with Yan Hu Suo, Wu Ling Zhi and Ju Hong.

C. Impotence

It has the actions of warming kidney and reinforcing yang. For impotence, soreness and pain of waist and knees due to deficiency of kidney-yang, it is combined with kidney-yang-warming herbs such as Fu Zi, Rou Gui and Yin Yang Huo.

Dosage and Administrations

Decoct 1~3 g. Proper dosage is for external application.

Cautions

It is incompatible with Yu Jin (nineteen incompatibilities). It should be used with cautions for heat syndrome and yin deficiency with interior heat.