Roots and rhizomesTonifyingRadix Ophiopogonis

Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber)

A practical guide to Mai Dong: what it is, how Traditional Chinese Medicine uses it, the classical formulas it appears in, and who should be careful with it.

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Last reviewed Oct 13, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin NameRadix Ophiopogonis
Chinese Name & Pinyin 麥冬 · Mai Dong
Medicinal PartRoots and rhizomes
The herbMai Dong is the dried, spindle-shaped, translucent tuber of Ophiopogon japonicus. Tian Dong, Bei Sha Shen, and Yu Zhu are different official drugs. The classical name is Mai Men Dong.
Nature and channelsSweet, slightly bitter, slightly cold. Enters the Heart, Lung, and Stomach. Sweetness nourishes yin and generates fluids. Slight bitterness and cold clear the Heart and moisten the Lung.
Pharmacopoeia lineNourishes yin and generates fluids. Moistens the Lung and clears the Heart. Used for dry Lung cough, yin-deficiency consumptive cough, throat-bi and sore throat, thirst from damaged fluids, interior-heat wasting-thirst, vexation and insomnia, and dry-stool constipation.
Pattern cuesDry cough and dry throat. Thirst. Vexation and insomnia. Dry constipation. Red tongue with little fluid.
In this articleMai Dong versus Tian Dong, Bei Sha Shen, and Yu Zhu. Clearing the Heart and moistening the Lung versus bitter-cold Kidney nourishing. Why loose stools are a stop sign. Who should skip it.

What Is Mai Dong?

Mai Dong is the pharmacopoeia name. Older formulas write Mai Men Dong (麦门冬; Mài Dōng; Latin: Ophiopogonis Radix; English: dwarf lilyturf tuber / ophiopogon root). It is the dried tuber of Ophiopogon japonicus (L. f.) Ker Gawl. In Chinese medicine it is a yin-nourishing herb. It is sweet, slightly bitter, and slightly cold, enters the Heart, Lung, and Stomach channels, and its core actions are to nourish yin and generate fluids, and to moisten the Lung and clear the Heart. It is not Tian Dong. Asparagus tuber is more bitter-cold, more strongly nourishes Kidney and Lung, and is more cloying. Mai Dong is only slightly bitter-cold. It clears the Heart and moistens Lung and Stomach, with less cloying. It is not Bei Sha Shen or Yu Zhu. Glehnia leans toward Lung and Stomach. Solomon’s seal is lighter still. Garden mondo grass is not the official piece. A cold weak spleen, phlegm-damp loose stools, and wind-cold cough are a poor match.

It is used most often for three patterns:

  • Dry Lung cough, throat-bi and sore throat
  • Stomach yin deficiency — thirst, interior-heat wasting-thirst
  • Vexation and insomnia / intestinal dryness with constipation

It is usually used raw. The usual decoction dose is 6–12 g. Sweet-cold and moistening, it is not a daily “Lung mai dong tea.” Moistening when there is no dryness generates dampness.

When dryness-heat damages Lung and Stomach yin, or Heart yin is insufficient, dry cough, thirst, and vexation are common. Mai Dong is sweet-cold and moistening. It nourishes, clears, and generates fluids, which is why it appears in Sheng Mai San, Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang, and Zeng Ye Tang. It moistens and clears more than it warms. Thin white sputum, bloating, and loose stools loosen further if more moisture is added.

Mai Dong is not a catch-all moistening or sleep herb. In wind-cold or spleen-deficiency dampness, using it alone can cool the spleen and obstruct it. Mai Dong or Tian Dong should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Mai Dong Ophiopogon Tuber

Mai Dong: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Radix Ophiopogonis

Botanical Origin

The dried tuberous root of Ophiopogon japonicas (Thunb.) Ker-Gawl.(Liliaceae)

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Zhejiang.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material is full, thin skin, glucose-like, thin woody heart, pale yellowish-white inner and outer, without oily.

Macroscopic Features

Zhe mai dong: tuberous fusiform, 1.5~3.5cm long, middle diameter is 3~7mm. Externally earth-yellow or yellowish-white, with relatively deep irregular thin longitudinal wrinkles, sometimes one end has thin and small exposed stele. Pliable texture, fractured surface is off-white, center has thin and small round stele which can be pulled out when fresh. faintly aromatic odor, slightly sweet and astringent, sticky when chewed. Chuan mai dong: tuberous root is relatively small, externally milky-white. Slightly hard texture, faintly odor, tasteless, not sticky when chewed.

3 Sourcing and Quality Identification

Traditional texts highly value roots from Zhejiang and Sichuan provinces.

  • Hang Mai Dong (Zhejiang): Known for being plump, yellowish-white, flexible, and having a pleasant fragrance.
  • Chuan Mai Dong (Sichuan): Tends to be slightly thinner, more yellow, and milder in scent.
  • How to Spot Quality: Premium Mai Dong is spindle-shaped, slightly pointed at the ends, with a translucent, yellowish-white cross-section and a fine inner woody core. It tastes sweet with a hint of bitterness.
  • Lookalikes: Be careful not to confuse it with Tu Mai Dong, which is smaller, harder, has a thicker woody core, and lacks the distinct aroma.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Sweet, Slightly bitter; CoolHeartLungStomach

1. 2 Historical Records

Mai Dong has a rich history in classic TCM literature:

  • Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing: Listed as a top-grade herb. It was noted for regulating digestion, clearing chest tightness, and helping those suffering from weight loss and shortness of breath due to fluid loss.
  • Ming Yi Bie Lu: Expanded its uses to treating dry mouth, severe thirst, and vomiting, while also noting its ability to calm the mind and spirit.
  • Ben Cao Gang Mu: Clearly highlighted its modern primary uses—moistening the lungs, clearing heat from the heart, stopping coughs, and resolving phlegm.

2. 3 Evolution of Herbal Understanding

Over the centuries, TCM doctors have refined how they use Mai Dong. Some praise its ability to strongly nourish Yin and bodily fluids for chronically depleted patients. Others focus on its ability to clear "empty heat" (a type of internal inflammation caused by lack of cooling fluids) in the lungs and stomach.

  • Important Caveat: It is not a cure-all. Because it is highly moistening, practitioners advise against using it alone if a patient has a "cold" digestive system or suffers from excessive dampness and phlegm.

Mai Dong Ophiopogon Tuber

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Nourishes yin, engenders fluid, moistens lung, stops cough, clear heart, eliminates vexation. Apply to damage of body fluid due to heat disease, vexation, thirst, dry throat due to lung heat, cough, and tuberculosis.

1. 1 First Primary Action: Nourishing Yin and Moistening Lungs

The primary traditional function of Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Root) is to nourish the Lung's Yin (fluids), relieving discomfort caused by lung dryness.

  • Common Symptoms: It is frequently used for Lung Yin deficiency, which often shows up as a dry cough with little to no phlegm, sticky phlegm that is hard to cough up, a dry and sore throat, hoarseness, or even mild chest pain from dryness.
  • Common Pairings: It is often paired with other moistening or cough-relieving herbs like Xing Ren (Apricot Seed) and Sang Ye (Mulberry Leaf). If there is also heat in the Heart, it can be combined with Bai He (Lily Bulb) and Sheng Di (Rehmannia Root) to clear heat and moisten the lungs.
  • Caution: Individuals with a cold Spleen and Stomach (often experiencing loose stools and having a white, greasy tongue coating) should avoid using it on their own, as its cooling nature can weaken digestion.

2. 2 Second Primary Action: Benefiting the Stomach and Generating Fluids

Its second core function is replenishing stomach fluids to soothe a dry and depleted digestive system.

  • Common Symptoms: This is ideal for Stomach Yin deficiency, which presents as dry mouth, excessive thirst, poor appetite, a dull burning pain in the stomach after eating, dry stools, or a red tongue with little coating.
  • Common Pairings: To boost stomach fluids, it pairs well with Yu Zhu (Solomon's Seal) and Sha Shen (Glehnia Root). If the patient has stomach heat causing heartburn or irritability, it can be paired with Shi Hu (Dendrobium) and Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena Rhizome).
  • Caution: Avoid using this if you frequently experience cold abdominal pain or loose stools, as it can further damage your digestive warmth.

3. 3 Common Single Herb Pairing: The Herb Pair

A very classic TCM pairing is Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Root) and Ban Xia (Pinellia Rhizome).

  • How They Work Together: Mai Dong is sweet, slightly cold, and highly moistening. Ban Xia is pungent, warm, and excellent at drying dampness and stopping nausea. They perfectly balance each other out. Mai Dong prevents Ban Xia from being too drying, while Ban Xia keeps Mai Dong from causing stomach bloating due to its heavy moisture.
  • Application: This pair is used when a person has stomach fluid deficiency combined with internal dampness or phlegm (e.g., dry mouth, upset stomach, nausea, and a greasy tongue). This specific combination requires a professional TCM diagnosis.

Mai Dong Ophiopogon Tuber

Modern Research

Modern research offers useful context, but Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes on whole-pattern diagnosis rather than isolated compounds.

1. 1 Primary Chemical Components

Modern chemical analysis has identified several compounds in Mai Dong, including steroidal saponins (the main active ingredients), polysaccharides, flavonoids, and volatile oils.

  • Lab Observations: Test-tube studies suggest these extracts can help regulate inflammatory cells and exhibit antioxidant properties. Animal models also show potential in supporting immune function and soothing lung tissue damage. However, large-scale clinical human trials are still limited.

2. 2 Modern Pharmacological Focus

Current scientific research on Mai Dong largely explores:

  • Immune Regulation: How it might interact with immune cells.
  • Antioxidant Effects: Its potential to clear free radicals and reduce oxidative stress.
  • Respiratory Support: Exploring its traditional lung-moistening properties through modern models of lung tissue health. Most of this research is aimed at understanding how the herb physically hydrates the body and supports organ function on a cellular level.

3. 3 Limitations of Modern Research

It is important to view modern research with a balanced perspective:

  • Lab vs. Human Efficacy: Results in a petri dish or an animal do not automatically guarantee the same results or safety profile in human bodies.
  • Extracts vs. Whole Herb: Labs often use highly purified, concentrated single compounds. This is entirely different from brewing the whole dried Mai Dong root, which contains a complex matrix of interacting elements.
  • Inconsistent Methodologies: Studies often use different dosages, extraction methods, and plant varieties, making it hard to draw a single, universal conclusion.
  • Holistic Synergy: In TCM, the healing effect comes from the whole plant working together (and often combined with other herbs), rather than a single isolated chemical.

Mai Dong Ophiopogon Tuber

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. 2 Similarities with Comparable Herbs

Mai Dong is frequently compared to Bai He (Lily Bulb). They share several traits:

  • Both are excellent at nourishing Yin and relieving body fluid shortages.
  • Both treat lung dryness (dry coughs) and calm the mind (restlessness or poor sleep).
  • Both are common in herbal teas and dietary therapies.
  • Both require caution if you have a cold, damp constitution, as overdosing can cause digestive upset.

2. 3 Core Differences

  • Nature and Flavor: Mai Dong is slightly cold, sweet, and a bit bitter, giving it a stronger ability to clear internal heat. Bai He is sweet with no bitterness, making it gentler and purely moistening without strong heat-clearing effects.
  • Organ Focus: Mai Dong is a multi-tasker, targeting the Lungs, Stomach, and Heart. It is great for lung dryness, stomach burning, and heart fire. Bai He focuses mainly on the Lungs and Heart, excelling at soothing dry coughs and calming the nervous system, but it does little for the stomach.
  • Symptom Profile: Choose Mai Dong for dry mouth, dry cough, insomnia, and stomach burning. Choose Bai He for dry cough, anxiety, palpitations, and restlessness without obvious stomach issues.

3. 4 One-Sentence Summary

In short, Mai Dong provides deep hydration and heat-clearing across the Lungs, Stomach, and Heart, while Bai He is gentler, focusing mainly on moistening the Lungs and calming the spirit.

Mai Dong Ophiopogon Tuber

Classical Formulas Containing Mai Dong

+8 more

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

  • Synergy is Key: A formula is a balanced team. The healing power comes from how the herbs interact, so a single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effects.
  • Holistic Balance: The exact dosage and combination in a formula affect the entire body. Never try to mix or alter these formulas at home based on internet articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. 1 Home Tea or Dietary Application

Here are two gentle ways to use it at home:

  • Mai Dong Bai He Cha (Ophiopogon and Lily Tea)

    • Ingredients: 5g Mai Dong, 3g Bai He (Lily Bulb), 2g Yu Zhu (Solomon's Seal).
    • Method: Rinse herbs, place in a thermos, add boiling water, and steep for 15 minutes.
    • Best For: Vocal strain, autumn dryness (dry throat), or mild insomnia after staying up late.
    • Frequency: 2–3 times a week. Not for those with loose stools or a cold stomach.

  • Mai Dong Lian Zi Zhou (Ophiopogon and Lotus Seed Porridge)

    • Ingredients: 5g Mai Dong, 10g Lian Zi (Lotus Seed, core removed), 50g rice.
    • Method: Soak the lotus seeds. Wrap the Mai Dong in a cheesecloth. Boil everything together, reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the herb bag before eating.
    • Best For: Poor appetite, dry mouth, or restless sleep due to stomach fluid deficiency.
    • Frequency: Once every 1–2 weeks. Not for those with a cold stomach.

2. 2 Preparation Differences

  • Raw vs. Honey-Roasted: Raw Sheng Mai Dong is best for clearing heat and generating fluids. Honey-roasted Zhi Mai Dong is softer, milder, and specifically better for soothing lung dryness and coughs.
  • Cooking Rules: It does not need special pre-boiling. You can simmer it directly with other herbs for 15–20 minutes.
  • Dosage Warning: Do not use heavy clinical doses for daily cooking. Keep culinary doses small.

3. 3 Dosage and Usage Cycle

  • Standard Dosage: Clinical prescriptions use 6–12g, but home dietary use should only be 3–6g.
  • Usage Cycle: Do not use continuously for more than 2 weeks. For long-term use, consult a professional.
  • Special Groups: Pregnant women, children, and the elderly must use reduced doses under a doctor's guidance.
Mai Dong Ophiopogon Tuber

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. 1 Not Suitable For

  • Cold Digestion: People with a cold Spleen and Stomach (frequent diarrhea, white greasy tongue) should avoid it, as its cooling nature will worsen digestion.
  • Vulnerable Groups: Pregnant and nursing women, children, and the elderly should only use it under professional guidance.
  • Organ Issues: Those with abnormal liver or kidney function should consult a doctor first.
  • Allergies: Avoid if you are allergic to plants in the Lily family.
  • Medication Users: If you are undergoing special medical treatments, check with your doctor before using this herb.

2. 2 Drug Interactions and Dietary Notes

  • Medication Risks: Mai Dong may interact with blood thinners, blood pressure medications, diabetes drugs, or sedatives. It can either amplify or weaken their effects (e.g., dropping blood pressure too low). Always consult your pharmacist or doctor.
  • Dietary Adjustments: There are no strict food taboos when eating Mai Dong porridge or tea. Maintain a normal, balanced diet.

3. 3 Adverse Reactions and Risks

  • Side Effects: It is generally very safe, but taking too much can cause stomach bloating, poor appetite, loose stools, or mild nausea.
  • Emergency Steps: If you experience severe allergic reactions, continuous vomiting, breathing difficulties, or rapid worsening of your symptoms, stop taking it immediately and seek urgent medical care. Always follow the recommended dosages.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mai Dong

What is Mai Dong? Are Mai Men Dong, Shan Mai Dong and Tian Dong the same?
The pharmacopoeial name is Mai Dong (麦冬); prescriptions often write “Mai Men Dong.” It is the dried tuberous root of Ophiopogon japonicus. The pharmacopoeial name is Ophiopogonis Radix. Shan Mai Dong is Liriope root, a separate monograph with similar actions but a different botanical source. Tian Dong is Asparagus root: sweet-bitter-cold, enriches yin, moistens dryness, clears the Lung and generates fluids, enters Lung and Kidney, and is more cold-moistening. Do not replace it with ornamental mondo-grass fibrous roots or Tian Dong by equal weight. Classical texts mention removing the core; today the raw root is usually used whole.
What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Mai Dong?
According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Mai Dong is sweet, slightly bitter and slightly cold, enters the Heart, Lung and Stomach channels, and acts to enrich yin and generate fluids, moisten the Lung and clear the Heart. It is used for Lung-dryness dry cough, yin-vacuity taxation cough, throat impediment and sore throat, fluid-damage thirst, internal-heat wasting-thirst, vexation and insomnia, and intestinal dryness with constipation. Sweet-moistening and slightly cold, it suits Lung-Stomach-Heart yin damage and dryness-heat—not Spleen-Stomach vacuity-cold diarrhea, phlegm-damp cough or early wind-cold.
Does Mai Dong need the core removed or a special decoction method? How is the fresh root used?
Wash, moisten through, flatten and dry; add to a normal decoction. The old saying that leaving the core causes vexation is not followed in most modern practice. Fresh Mai Dong clears heat and generates fluids more clearly; the dose may be slightly larger or the juice used; pharmacies mainly stock the dried root. Neither first-boil nor late addition is required.
What is the usual dosage? Can it be steeped daily as a Lung-moistening tea?
The pharmacopoeial decoction dose is 6–12 g. It is not a four-season unlimited “Mai Dong Lung tea.” Yin-damage thirst and dry cough may briefly join Glehnia and Polygonatum odoratum. Spleen vacuity with loose stool and phlegm with greasy tongue only grow more stagnant as it moistens. Diabetics adding rock sugar must count the sugar.
What are the contraindications? Can it be used in pregnancy?
Use caution or avoid in Spleen-Stomach vacuity-cold diarrhea, phlegm-damp cough and early wind-cold. Sweet-cold moistening can linger damp and encumber the Spleen. Pregnancy is not a classical prohibition, but middle-cold loose stool should not take large daily teas. Long high doses may reduce appetite and loosen the stool. Stop if cold epigastrium and diarrhea appear.
Can Mai Dong moisten the Lung, generate fluids, clear the Heart and moisten the intestines?
It can help Lung-Stomach yin damage. Coughing saliva joins Pinellia, Ginseng, rice, Jujube and Licorice in Mai Men Dong Tang. Dual qi-yin vacuity joins Ginseng and Schisandra in Sheng Mai San. Dryness damaging Lung and Stomach joins Glehnia, Polygonatum odoratum and Mulberry leaf in Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang. It enriches Lung-Stomach-Heart yin—not a specific for every cough, every thirst or every insomnia. Coughing blood, high fever and wasting-thirst need medical care.
Can Mai Dong be drunk daily as a beauty, blood-sugar or Heart-clearing tea?
Yin damage with dryness-heat may enter a short tea; phlegm-damp middle cold only grows more stagnant. “Mai Dong beautifies and lowers sugar” does not replace dermatologic and endocrine assessment. Patent Sheng Mai Yin also needs pattern differentiation—dual qi-yin vacuity only, not excess common cold. Enriching yin and generating fluids should name Mai Dong 6–12 g.
How do you choose among Mai Dong, Tian Dong, Bei Sha Shen, Yu Zhu and Bai He?
Ophiopogon is sweet, slightly bitter and slightly cold: enriches yin, generates fluids, moistens the Lung and clears the Heart—also enters Heart and Stomach. Asparagus is sweet-bitter-cold: enriches yin, moistens dryness, clears the Lung and generates fluids, enters Lung and Kidney, more cold-moistening. Glehnia is sweet, slightly bitter and slightly cold: enriches yin, clears the Lung, boosts the Stomach and generates fluids—Lung-Stomach dry cough. Polygonatum odoratum is sweet and slightly cold: enriches yin, moistens dryness and generates fluids to stop thirst—supplements without cloying. Lily bulb is sweet and slightly cold: enriches yin, moistens the Lung, clears the Heart and calms the spirit—vacuity vexation and fright palpitations. Lung-Stomach yin damage with Heart vexation favors Mai Dong; Kidney-yin dryness-heat favors Tian Dong; pure Lung dryness favors Bei Sha Shen. They may be paired; vacuity-cold phlegm-damp forbids pure moistening in all of them.
Which herbs is Mai Dong combined with? What are the representative formulas?
Lung-Stomach yin vacuity with rebellious qi and coughing saliva joins Pinellia, Ginseng, rice, Jujube and Licorice in Mai Men Dong Tang. Dual qi-yin damage joins Ginseng and Schisandra in Sheng Mai San (Sheng Mai Yin). Dryness damaging Lung and Stomach joins Glehnia, Polygonatum odoratum, Mulberry leaf and Trichosanthes root in Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang. Write Mai Dong or Mai Men Dong 6–12 g; do not mix Shan Mai Dong or Tian Dong without distinguishing them.
How do you choose and store Mai Dong?
Choose spindle-shaped roots slightly pointed at both ends, pale yellow, pliable and translucent, with a fine stele and a sweet, slightly bitter taste. Lots with leftover fibrous roots, hollow or moth-eaten pieces, or overly hard blackened roots are discarded. Store cool and dry against damp. Buy pharmacopoeial Mai Dong; do not replace enriching yin, generating fluids, moistening the Lung and clearing the Heart with Shan Mai Dong or Tian Dong by equal weight.

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Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.

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Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber): Nourish Yin, Generate Fluids, and Clear the Heart