She Xiang
The Processing of She Xiang
Origin
The dry secretion in sachet of mature male Moschus berezovskii Flerov, M. sifanicus Przewalski, or M. moschiferus Linnaeus of family Cervidae.
Location
Xinjiang, Qingzang tableland, and Heilongjiang provinces in China.
Harvest
Collected from hand-feeding male musk in its prime year older than 3 years in spring or winter.
The actual smell and taste
With special fragrance, slightly spicy, slightly bitter with salty taste.
Best quality
Soft in texture, with oily and many Dang Men Zi, and with heavy odor.
Processing
Dried in the shade or in the sealed containers, stored in sealed and light-proof containers, the ones larger in grain size called Dang Men Zi; ground into fine powder.
The Effect of She Xiang
Property
Pungent, warm; heart, liver and spleen meridians entered.
Actions
Induce resuscitation and refresh mind, activate blood and alleviate pain.
Indications
A. Block pattern of coma
Being strongly featured by pungent and scurrying and with strong action of inducing resuscitation and removing obstruction, it is regarded as an important herb to refresh the mind. It can be indicated for both cold block and heat block. For heat block, it is usually combined with heat-clearing and toxicity-relieving herbs, heart-heat-clearing and resuscitation-inducing herbs and heat-clearing and phlegm-resolving herbs. For instance, it is combined with Niu Huang, Bing Pian and Huang Lian in the formula An Gong Niu Huang Wan from Wen Bing Tiao Bian. For cold block, it is combined with cold-dispelling and qi-moving herbs. For instance, it is combined with Su He Xiang, An Xi Xiang and so on in Su He Xiang Wan from Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang.
B. Blood stasis syndrome
This herb can remove the stasis in the blood, and dredge obstructions in the meridian, so it has the action of activating blood to dredge the meridian and alleviate pain. It can be indicated for many blood stasis diseases and be combined with herbs that have the actions of activating blood, moving qi and alleviating pain according to symptoms. For angina pectoris due to heart blood stasis obstruction, it is combined with Tao Ren and Mu Xiang in She Xiang Tang from Sheng Ji Zong Lu. For headache and amenorrhea due to blood stasis, it is combined with Tao Ren, Hong Hua and Chuan Xiong in Tong Qiao Huo Xue Tang from Yi Lin Cai Cuo. For mass due to blood stasis, it is combined with blood-breaking and stasis-dispelling herbs. For instance, it is combined with Shui Zhi, Meng Chong and San Leng in Hua Zhen Hui Sheng Dan from Wen Bing Tiao Bian. For traumatic injury, fracture and swelling pain due to blood stasis, it is combined with Ru Xiang, Mo Yao and Hong Hua and so on in Qi Li San from Liang Fang Ji Ye. For stubborn arthralgia pain, it is often combined with collateral-unblocking herbs. For instance, it is combined with Chuan Wu, Di Long and Quan Xie and so on in She Xiang Wan from Jiao Zhu Fu Ren Liang Fang.
C. Sores, ulcers and abscess, swelling and pain in the throat
It is good at activating blood to relieve swelling, thus it has the actions of relieving swelling, dissipating nodulation and alleviating pain. It is usually combined with heat-clearing and toxicity-relieving, swelling-relieving and pain-stopping herbs. For sores, ulcers and abscess, it is often combined with Ru Xiang and Mo Yao in Xing Xiao Wan from Wai Ke Quan Sheng Ji (Life-Saving Manual of Diagnosis and Treatment of External Diseases). For swelling and pain in the throat, it is often combined with Niu Huang, Chan Su and Bing Pian, etc. in Liu Shen Wan from Lei Yun Shang Song Fang Tang Fang (Lei's Prescriptions).
Dosage and Administrations
Take pills and powder 0.03-0.1g. Take proper dose for external application. It should not be used in decoction.
Cautions
It is contraindicated for pregnant women because it can induce abortion in both internal and external application.