OthersPhlegm-resolvingBambusae Concretio Silicea

Tian Zhu Huang (Tabasheer)

Q: What are the composition and effects of Tianzhuhuang?

It is sweet in taste, cold in nature, and enters the Heart and Liver meridians. Its functions are to clear heat, transform phlegm, and clear the heart to settle fright; it is used for pediatric fright wind, wind-stroke epilepsy, heat disease clouded spirit, and phlegm-heat cough and dyspnea.

Q: What is the dosage of Tianzhuhuang? Can it be used daily as a phlegm-transforming tea?

The decoction dose is 3–6 g, and modern use requires physician-determined dosage. It is not meant to be used as a year-round Tianzhuhuang tea, and prolonged use may further injure spleen deficiency and stomach cold.

Q: What are the contraindications of Tianzhuhuang? Can pregnant women use it?

It is not suitable for spleen deficiency and stomach cold with loose stools. Pregnant women require physician evaluation. Stop if loose stools or fatigue occur, and seek immediate medical care for severe fright wind or high fever.

Q: Can Tianzhuhuang clear heat, transform phlegm, and settle fright?

It can assist in pediatric fright wind, wind-stroke epilepsy, heat disease clouded spirit, and phlegm-heat cough and dyspnea. It does clear heat and transform phlegm, and clears the heart to settle fright, but it is not a specific remedy for all fright wind or all phlegm-heat.

Q: How to choose between Tianzhuhuang, Zhuli, Zhuru, Dannanxing, and Shichangpu?

Tianzhuhuang clears heat and settles fright, and is suited to pediatric fright wind. Zhuli clears heat and flushes phlegm. Zhuru clears heat and stops vomiting. Dannanxing clears heat and transforms phlegm while extinguishing wind. Shichangpu opens the orifices and flushes phlegm. Pattern differentiation applies, and large doses of Tianzhuhuang are contraindicated in spleen deficiency and stomach cold.

Q: How is Tianzhuhuang commonly modified? What is a representative usage?

Modifications depend on the pattern: add Gouteng for fright wind and add Zhuli for phlegm-heat. Specify Tianzhuhuang, and do not substitute Zhuli in equal amounts for settling fright.

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

View Herb Profile →

Last reviewed Oct 29, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin Name	Bambusae Concretio Silicea
Chinese Name & Pinyin	天竺黃 · Tian Zhu Huang
Medicinal Part	Others
The item	Tian Zhu Huang is the dried secretion lump inside bamboo culms. Zhu Li, the squeezed bamboo sap, is not this herb. It usually goes into powders, pills, and light infusions.
Nature and channels	Cold. Sweet. Enters the Heart and Liver. Cold sweet clears heat, disperses phlegm, and settles fright.
Pharmacopoeia line	Clears the heart, disperses phlegm, cools the liver, and stops wind. Used for phlegm-heat cough, restless insomnia, mouth sores, infantile acute fright wind, and wind-stroke with phlegm reversal.
Pattern cues	Cough with thick yellow sputum. Restless sleep with mouth sores. Frightened twitching. Rattling throat.
In this article	Tian Zhu Huang versus Zhu Li. Settling the heart versus flushing phlegm. Why the powder dose is small. Why pregnancy is a caution. Why convulsions need a clinic. Who should skip it.

What Is Tian Zhu Huang?

Tian Zhu Huang (天竺黄; Tiān Zhú Huáng; Latin: Bambusae Concretio Silicea; English: bamboo concretion) in the current pharmacopoeia is the dried lump formed from the secretion inside the stems of bamboos such as Bambusa textilis or Schizostachyum chinense of the Poaceae family, gathered in autumn and winter; the common form is the raw lump, often ground to a fine powder for swallowing or for pills. It is cold and sweet, enters the Heart and Liver channels, and its core actions are to clear heat and dispel phlegm, and to clear the heart and settle fright. It usually goes into powders, pills, or light infusions. The usual amount is 3–9 g; as a swallowed powder the dose is smaller. It needs no special handling in the pot; the lumps should be ground fine first.

It is not Zhu Li. Zhu Li is the squeezed bamboo sap — cold, sweet and bitter, with a slippery, descending character that flushes phlegm out of the lung and moistens lung dryness; it does not settle the heart and calm fright the way Tian Zhu Huang does. Tian Zhu Huang is clear and moistening, calming the spirit rather than flushing phlegm downward, which is why it fits heat harassing the heart with restless fright. Use caution in pregnancy. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, and cold limbs with a poor appetite are a poor match. Slow, weak convulsions with a pale face need pattern diagnosis. High fever with twitching, or coma with rattling phlegm in the throat, need a clinic first. Do not take it alone for more than a week.

It is used most often for three patterns:

Phlegm-heat obstructing the lung — cough with thick yellow sputum
Heart fire harassing the spirit — restless insomnia, mouth and tongue sores
Infantile acute fright wind, wind-stroke phlegm reversal — convulsions, rattling throat, clouded spirit — seek care

Cold and sweet, it is not a daily “calming bamboo” to keep increasing. Clearing heat when there is no heat pattern damages the spleen-stomach yang and can tip a weak cold body toward deficiency-cold.

When phlegm-heat clogs the lung, or heat harassing the Heart agitates the spirit, cough with sticky yellow sputum, restless sleep, mouth sores, and frightened twitching are common. Tian Zhu Huang is cold and sweet. It clears, disperses phlegm, and settles fright, which is why it appears in Bao Long Wan (Embracing-Dragon Pill)–type formulas for phlegm-heat fright, and in Tian Zhu Huang San (Tabasheer Powder)–type formulas for heart-fire phlegm-heat. It settles more than it flushes. A cold weak stomach, with diarrhea and no heat, gets worse if more is added.

Tian Zhu Huang is not a catch-all calming or phlegm crystal. In deficiency-cold, with no heat pattern to clear, or in pregnancy, using it alone is a poor match. Lump or powder, and whether it belongs in a formula, should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Tian Zhu Huang: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Bambusae Concretio Silicea

Botanical Origin

The lump-shaped dried secretions from the stalk of Bambusa textilis McClure, Schizostachyum chinense Rendle. (Poaceae)

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material is large, grayish-white, with light and hard texture, strong absorption of moisture.

Macroscopic Features

Irregular flake-like or granular shape, uneven size. Externally grayish-blue, grayish-yellow or grayish-white, sometimes white, translucent, slightly lustrous, light in weight, hard and brittle texture, easily broken, strongly absorbs moisture. faint odor, bland taste.

Main Regions and Quality Identification

Traditional materia medica and industry experience value the products of several southern provinces of China, but actual quality also depends on variety, harvest time, processing, and storage. In appearance, the genuine Tian Zhu Huang is irregular lumps of various sizes, grayish-white or grayish-blue on the surface with a luster, light and crisp, easy to break, with a light-brown layered cross-section, a faint odor, and a bland taste. The difference between the raw and the processed mainly lies in the processing: the raw is the naturally dried lump, and the processed is mostly the ground fine powder, convenient for powder-taking or use in pills and powders. The common look-alikes are mainly the secretions of other bamboo species or bamboo-node products — harder in texture, yellower in color, and stronger in odor — clearly different from the genuine Tian Zhu Huang in texture and odor.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Sweet; ColdHeartLiver

1. Records in Classic Materia Medica

Ming Yi Bie Lu: first mentions Tian Zhu Huang — recording that it "governs infantile fright wind and tian diao, settles the heart and brightens the eyes, and removes all wind-heat."
Xin Xiu Ben Cao: supplements its phlegm-transforming action — holding that it can "treat metal wounds, stop bleeding, and grow muscle."
Ben Cao Gang Mu: clarifies its core actions — pointing out that it "clears the heart, dispels phlegm, opens the orifices, cools the liver, stops wind, and resolves toxin."
De Pei Ben Cao: further refines its scope — mentioning that it can "treat wind-stroke with phlegm reversal, loss of voice and speech, and infantile fright epilepsy."

These records all center on its heat-clearing, phlegm-transforming, and fright-calming actions — without going beyond its core efficacy.

2. How Views of Its Nature Changed

Views among physicians differ to a degree: some — such as Miao Xi Yong of the Ben Cao Jing Shu — lean to its clearing-and-freeing action, holding it "cool in nature and sweet in flavor, able to remove damp-heat, disperse phlegm-saliva, and stop palpitations" — fitting the excess patterns of phlegm-heat disturbing internally; others — such as Ni Zhu Mo of the Ben Cao Hui Yan — stress its limited scope, holding "Tian Zhu Huang is the herb for clearing phlegm, freeing the orifices, and settling the heart to calm the spirit; those with deficiency-cold should avoid it" — clarifying that the deficiency-cold constitution should not use it. This difference reflects the ancient physicians' careful analysis of the herb's nature, and shows that Tian Zhu Huang is not a wonder drug — it must be chosen per the constitution and pattern.

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Clears heat and expels phlegm, cools heart and calms fright.

1. First Direction: Clearing Heat and Dispelling Phlegm

Traditional action: clear the internal heat and resolve the phlegm turbidity — easing the discomfort of phlegm-heat blockage — the sweet-cold nature of Tian Zhu Huang clears and drains the phlegm-heat of the heart, liver, and lung without harming the upright qi of the spleen and stomach.
Typical signs: the phlegm-heat obstructing the lung pattern — a cough with yellow, thick phlegm, chest oppression, and wheezing; the phlegm-heat disturbing the heart pattern — vexation, insomnia, mouth sores, and dry stool; and the wind-stroke or fright with phlegm-saliva excess — a phlegm sound in the throat and clouded consciousness.
Usual combinations: for the phlegm-heat lung cough, often paired with Gua Lou, Huang Qin, and Zhe Bei Mu to strengthen the heat-clearing and phlegm-transforming; for the phlegm-heat heart disturbance insomnia, often paired with Suan Zao Ren, Zhi Zi, and Lian Qiao to strengthen the heart-clearing and spirit-settling; for the fright phlegm-saliva excess, often paired with Gou Teng, Chan Tui, and Dan Nan Xing to strengthen the fright-calming and phlegm-transforming.
Who should not self-use: those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold — frequent abdominal pain, diarrhea, fear of cold, and poor appetite — should not self-use; those with a wind-cold cough — white phlegm, fear of cold, and no sweat — should not self-use either, to avoid worsening the cold pattern.

2. Second Direction: Clearing the Heart and Calming Fright

Traditional action: clear the heat pathogen of the heart channel, settle the spirit, and calm the fright — the cold nature of Tian Zhu Huang clears and drains the heart fire, easing the palpitations and convulsions of heat disturbing the spirit or liver wind moving internally.
Typical signs: the heart-fire exuberant pattern — vexation, irritability, mouth sores, and restless sleep; the infantile acute fright wind — high fever, irritability, and startled convulsions; and adult palpitations — a restless, uneasy heart and an inability to sit or lie still.
Usual combinations: for the vexation of heart-fire exuberance, often paired with Huang Lian, Zhu Ye, and Lian Zi Xin to strengthen the heart-clearing and fire-lowering; for infantile acute fright wind, often paired with Ling Yang Jiao, Niu Huang, and Zhu Sha to strengthen the wind-stopping and fright-calming; for palpitations, often paired with Long Gu, Mu Li, and Fu Shen to strengthen the settling of the heart and calming of the spirit.
Who should not self-use: those with chronic fright wind — weak convulsions, a pale complexion, and a weak spleen and stomach — should not self-use; pregnant women need caution — use under a doctor's guidance.

3. Classic Pairing: Tian Zhu Huang With Gua Lou

The common pair is Tian Zhu Huang with Gua Lou: Tian Zhu Huang is good at clearing the heat of the heart and liver, calming fright, and transforming phlegm; Gua Lou is good at clearing the heat of the lung and stomach, moistening dryness, and transforming phlegm. Combined, the clearing-settling nature of Tian Zhu Huang and the moistening-descending nature of Gua Lou coordinate — both clearing and transforming the phlegm-heat of the upper and middle jiao, and easing the chest oppression, vexation, and cough of phlegm-heat — fitting the patterns of phlegm-heat obstructing the lung with vexation and insomnia. It needs the physician's pattern diagnosis — do not pair on your own.

Modern Research

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

1. Main Chemical Constituents

The main constituents detected include various amino acids and polysaccharides isolated from the bamboo plants, plus small amounts of flavonoids and inorganic elements such as potassium and calcium. Observed in vitro actions: some studies show the extract of Tian Zhu Huang has a certain inhibitory effect on common respiratory pathogens and can reduce the viscosity of phlegm. Observed in animal experiments: in the antipyretic test in mice, the extract lowers the temperature rise caused by fever; in the sedative test in rats, it prolongs the sleep time and reduces spontaneous activity. Currently, no sufficient human clinical research has reached a clear efficacy conclusion — the related results still need more verification.

2. Current Research Directions

Current research mainly focuses on the screening of the active constituents of Tian Zhu Huang and the study of the mechanisms on the respiratory and nervous systems:

Immune regulation and antioxidation — the polysaccharides may relate to the regulation of immune function, and the flavonoids may have a certain antioxidant action.
Respiratory relief — in experiments, the extract can, to a certain degree, relieve the respiratory mucosal irritation caused by inflammation and reduce the cough reflex.

But these results mostly come from animal or in vitro experiments — its actions and dose-effect in humans still need more research.

3. Limitations of Current Research

Lab results are not clinical efficacy — the results of in vitro and animal experiments can only provide reference for the drug's actions, not directly equate with the treatment effect after taking it in humans — for example, the extract inhibits pathogens in vitro, but after human intake, the absorption and metabolism in the body differ completely from the experimental environment — the effect may differ.
Extracts and monomers are not the same as traditional slices — the dose concentration and action route of the extracts or monomers commonly used in modern research differ from the daily-used Chinese-medicine slices — the extract dose cannot be directly converted into the slice dose, and the extract's effect cannot be equated with the slice's effect.
Doses and preparation methods vary between studies — the raw materials, extraction methods, and doses differ across studies — for example, some studies use the secretion of Bambusa textilis and others that of Schizostachyum chinense — the constituent contents of different sources may differ.
A single component does not define the whole herb — Chinese herbs act through the joint work of many constituents — detecting the action of one constituent cannot represent the whole herb's full efficacy — for example, detecting an amino acid in Tian Zhu Huang does not mean it can treat a certain disease.

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. What They Share

Choosing the similar herb Zhu Li, the two share these points:

Both have the main action of clearing heat and transforming phlegm — both are used for the phlegm-heat cough and vexation patterns.
Both may appear in the heat-phlegm-clearing formulas.
Both need the constitution and dose considered — those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold should not use either long-term.

2. The Key Differences: Tian Zhu Huang vs. Zhu Li

Nature and flavors: Tian Zhu Huang is cold with a sweet flavor, entering the heart and liver channels — leaning to clear and moistening, not overly bitter-cold; Zhu Li is cold with sweet and bitter flavors, entering the heart, lung, and liver channels — leaning to slippery and freeing, with a slightly stronger bitter-cold — more easily clearing and draining the lung-stomach heat.
Focus: Tian Zhu Huang leans to clearing the heart and calming fright — good at easing the vexation and palpitations of heat disturbing the spirit, and the convulsions of infantile fright wind; Zhu Li leans to clearing the lung and moistening dryness — good at easing the cough of lung dryness, yellow sticky phlegm, and the phlegm-saliva excess of wind-stroke.
Qi tendency: Tian Zhu Huang's action leans to clearing and draining the heart-spirit and converging the floating liver qi — with the influence on the qi leaning to converging, without over-pushing or descending; Zhu Li's action leans to slippery-freeing the lung qi and descending the phlegm turbidity — with the influence on the qi leaning to descending — helping expel the phlegm-saliva in the lung.
Best fit: Tian Zhu Huang fits the vexation, palpitations, and infantile fright wind — the patterns of phlegm-heat with an unsettled spirit; Zhu Li fits the cough, yellow phlegm, and wind-stroke phlegm excess — the patterns of phlegm-heat with lung dryness.
Not suitable: Tian Zhu Huang — not for those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold or chronic fright wind, and pregnancy needs caution; Zhu Li — besides the spleen-stomach deficiency-cold, because of its stronger slippery-freeing nature, those with loose stool also need to avoid it.
Use scenes: Tian Zhu Huang is more often used in the heart-clearing, spirit-settling formulas, or the regulation of infantile fright wind — fitting the daily light vexation and insomnia; Zhu Li is more often used in the lung-clearing, phlegm-transforming formulas, or the emergency of wind-stroke — fitting the stronger phlegm-heat cough and phlegm-saliva excess.

3. One-Sentence Summary

Simply put, Tian Zhu Huang leans toward clear-moistening the heart-spirit, calming fright, and transforming phlegm, whereas Zhu Li leans toward slippery-freeing the lung qi, clearing the lung, and moistening dryness. Both can be used for the phlegm-heat discomfort, but they are not interchangeable.

Classical Formulas Containing Tian Zhu Huang

Classic Formula 1: Bao Long Wan (Embracing-Dragon Pill)

Combination logic: In Bao Long Wan, Tian Zhu Huang is the minister; the lord is Dan Nan Xing — clearing heat, transforming phlegm, stopping wind, and calming fright. Tian Zhu Huang assists Dan Nan Xing, strengthening the heart-clearing and fright-calming, while working with Zhu Sha (settling the heart and calming the spirit), Xiong Huang (resolving toxin and transforming phlegm), and She Xiang (opening the orifices and awakening the spirit) — the herbs coordinate, targeting the phlegm-heat internal-closure pattern of infantile acute fright wind. It cannot be used alone, because Tian Zhu Huang alone cannot simultaneously solve the fright-wind phlegm-heat, the unsettled spirit, and the orifice-opening — the synergy of many herbs is needed.

Traditional use: traditionally for infantile acute fright wind — high fever, vexation, clouded spirit with convulsions, a phlegm sound in the throat, and constipation — a classic formula for infantile phlegm-heat fright wind.

Modern note: modern clinical use requires the doctor's pattern diagnosis and standard care — do not self-apply just because the formula name relates to fright wind. Some doctors use this formula for patients with infantile fright wind of phlegm-heat internal closure or high fever with vexation — but the dose must be adjusted by age, avoiding the overdose risk of Xiong Huang.

Classic Formula 2: Tian Zhu Huang San (Tabasheer Powder)

Combination logic: In Tian Zhu Huang San, Tian Zhu Huang is the lord — as the main herb — paired with Yu Jin (clearing the heart, resolving depression, transforming phlegm, and opening the orifices), Chan Tui (stopping wind and relieving spasm), and Gan Cao (harmonizing the herbs) — the herbs coordinate, targeting the patterns of heart-fire exuberance with phlegm-heat. It cannot be used alone, because Tian Zhu Huang alone cannot simultaneously solve the heart fire, phlegm-heat, and orifice-opening — the auxiliary herbs are needed to strengthen the effect.

Traditional use: traditionally for the vexation, insomnia, mouth sores, and scanty dark urine of heart-channel excess heat with phlegm-heat internal disturbance, and the fright crying of infants.

Modern note: modern clinical use requires the doctor's pattern diagnosis and standard care — do not self-apply just because the formula name relates to clearing the heart. Some doctors use this formula for patients with the insomnia and mouth sores of heart-fire phlegm-heat — but the pairing must be adjusted to the specific symptoms.

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

A formula is many herbs working together — through the lord-minister-assistant-courier pairing, attending to the different pattern presentations and regulating the qi, blood, yin, and yang of the body as a whole. A single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effect, because a single herb's action is single and cannot simultaneously solve the multiple problems in a formula — for example, Tian Zhu Huang San needs Yu Jin's orifice-opening and Chan Tui's wind-stopping, which a single Tian Zhu Huang cannot reach. The doses and combinations in a formula are holistic — the dose ratios of different herbs affect the overall efficacy: if the dose of Tian Zhu Huang is reduced, it may fail to exert its main action, and the doses of the other herbs need corresponding adjustment. Do not build formulas from online articles, because online articles often omit the pattern-differentiation and dose-adjustment details — self-formulating may fail to reach the efficacy, or even trigger adverse reactions.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. Home Tea and Drink

(1) Tian Zhu Huang Lian Zi Xin Tea: Tian Zhu Huang 1 g, Lian Zi Xin 0.5 g, green tea 1 g. Steep all the materials in boiling water, cover 5 minutes, and drink; can be re-steeped until the flavor fades. Suited to the light-pattern regulation of vexation, insomnia, and mouth sores — such as the mild discomfort from staying up late or stress. Not for those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold — frequent abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fear of cold. Suggested: 2 times a week; not for long-term continuous drinking.

(2) Tian Zhu Huang Xue Li Drink: Tian Zhu Huang 2 g, Xue Li 1 piece, Bing Tang 5 g. Peel and core the pear, cut it into pieces, put it with the Tian Zhu Huang and Bing Tang into a pot, add an appropriate amount of water, boil 20 minutes, and drink the liquid. Suited to the light-pattern regulation of a cough with yellow phlegm, chest oppression, and vexation — fitting the mild discomfort of summer or dry seasons. Not for those with a wind-cold cough — white phlegm, fear of cold, and no sweat. Suggested: 1–2 times a week; do not drink too much each time.

2. Decoction and Processing Differences

The raw Tian Zhu Huang is the naturally dried lump — solid in texture; grind it into a fine powder before adding to a decoction or taking as powder — no pre-boiling, late addition, or bag-boiling needed, because its effective constituents release easily. The processed product is mostly the ground fine powder, more convenient for powder-taking — fitting the daily tea or food-therapy use. For home decoction, if adding to a decoction, grind the Tian Zhu Huang into a fine powder, put it with the other herbs into a pot, add clean water, soak 30 minutes, then decoct. Different forms cannot be converted directly — for example, the action of 10 g of the raw slices cannot be equated with the action of an extract or another form.

3. Dosage and Course

The common dose in traditional prescriptions is 3–9 g — 3–6 g in a decoction and 1–3 g as a ground powder taken directly; the food-therapy dose is usually 1–2 g — lighter than the medicinal dose, because food therapy focuses on regulation. Long-term continuous use is not advised, because Tian Zhu Huang is a cold herb — long-term use may harm the spleen-stomach yang — generally do not use over 1 week; if the symptoms do not ease, consult a physician. Special groups — such as pregnant women, children, and the elderly — need the dose and use period determined under a physician's or pharmacist's guidance.

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. Who Should Avoid It

Spleen-stomach deficiency-cold — frequent abdominal pain, diarrhea, cold hands and feet, and poor appetite — not advised.
Chronic fright wind — weak convulsions, a pale complexion, and listlessness — not advised.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding — use with caution; consult a doctor first.
Children and the elderly — weaker constitutions — use under a physician's guidance; do not self-take.
Liver or kidney impairment — weaker drug metabolism — avoid self-use.
Allergy to bamboo plants — may be allergic to Tian Zhu Huang — forbidden.

2. Interactions and Diet Notes

There is no sufficient evidence of a general "food clash" between Tian Zhu Huang and ordinary foods, but certain herbs can interact with specific drugs. Tian Zhu Huang is a cold herb — its action may oppose the warming-tonifying drugs such as Fu Zi and Gan Jiang — if taking such drugs, leave an interval of 1–2 hours. If taking anticoagulant, blood-pressure, glucose-lowering, or sedative medications, consult a doctor or pharmacist first, to avoid drug interactions affecting the efficacy or increasing the risk of adverse reactions.

3. Adverse Reactions and Overdose Risk

At normal doses, Tian Zhu Huang generally shows no marked adverse reactions, but overuse or long-term use may cause spleen-stomach discomfort — abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea; allergic reactions may show as rash, itching, and rapid breathing. If marked discomfort, allergy signs, persistent vomiting, breathing difficulty, altered consciousness, or rapidly worsening symptoms appear, stop at once and seek medical care — do not delay the illness.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tian Zhu Huang

What is Tianzhuhuang? Is it the same as Zhuli or Zhuru?

Tianzhuhuang is the dried block of secretions from the culm of Bambusa textilis or Schizostachyum chinense, Latin name Bambusae Concretio Silicea. It is a common Chinese medicine centered on clearing heat and transforming phlegm, and clearing the heart to settle fright. Zhuli clears heat and transforms phlegm while flushing phlegm. Zhuru clears heat and transforms phlegm while stopping vomiting. They cannot be used interchangeably in equal amounts. Prescribe as Tianzhuhuang. Caution in spleen deficiency and stomach cold.

What are the composition and effects of Tianzhuhuang?

Pharmacopoeial name Tianzhuhuang, Latin Bambusa textilis McClure etc. Sweet in taste, cold in nature, enters the Heart and Liver meridians. Functions to clear heat and transform phlegm, and clear the heart to settle fright. Used for pediatric fright wind, wind-stroke epilepsy, heat disease clouded spirit, and phlegm-heat cough and dyspnea. Clears heat and settles fright.

How to choose between raw and processed? Can Zhuli replace it?

Blocks are used raw. Zhuli emphasizes flushing phlegm rather than strongly settling fright, and cannot replace it in equal amounts. Commercial products are standardized; do not adjust arbitrarily.

What is the dosage of Tianzhuhuang? Can it be used daily as a phlegm-transforming tea?

Decoction, 3-6g. Modern use requires physician-determined dosage. It is not a year-round "Tianzhuhuang tea." Spleen deficiency and stomach cold will be further injured by prolonged use. Fright wind requires short-term, physician-determined dosage and cannot replace evaluation.

What are the contraindications of Tianzhuhuang? Can pregnant women use it?

Not suitable for spleen deficiency and stomach cold with loose stools. Pregnant women require physician evaluation. Stop if loose stools or fatigue occur. Seek immediate medical care for severe fright wind or high fever.

Can Tianzhuhuang clear heat, transform phlegm, and settle fright?

It can assist pediatric fright wind, wind-stroke epilepsy, heat disease clouded spirit, and phlegm-heat cough and dyspnea. It clears heat and transforms phlegm, and clears the heart to settle fright, but is not a specific remedy for all fright wind or all phlegm-heat.

Can Tianzhuhuang be taken daily as a phlegm-transforming or fright-settling tea?

Phlegm-heat fright wind can be used short-term in formulas; spleen deficiency and stomach cold will be further injured. The idea that "Tianzhuhuang must settle fright" cannot replace evaluation. Clearing heat and settling fright requires physician-determined formulation and dosage.

How to choose between Tianzhuhuang, Zhuli, Zhuru, Dannanxing, and Shichangpu?

Tianzhuhuang clears heat and settles fright, suited to pediatric fright wind. Zhuli clears heat and flushes phlegm. Zhuru clears heat and stops vomiting. Dannanxing clears heat and transforms phlegm while extinguishing wind. Shichangpu opens the orifices and flushes phlegm. Choose Tianzhuhuang for settling fright; Zhuli for flushing phlegm; Zhuru for stopping vomiting; Dannanxing for extinguishing wind; Shichangpu for opening the orifices. Pattern differentiation applies, but large doses of Tianzhuhuang are contraindicated in spleen deficiency and stomach cold.

How is Tianzhuhuang commonly modified? What is a representative usage?

Modifications depend on the pattern. Add Gouteng for fright wind; add Zhuli for phlegm-heat. Specify Tianzhuhuang; do not substitute Zhuli in equal amounts for settling fright.

How to select and store Tianzhuhuang?

Choose regular Chinese medicinal materials with intact blocks. Discard if moldy, damp, or abnormal in odor. Store in a dry place. Purchase "Tianzhuhuang"; do not substitute Zhuli or Zhuru in equal amounts for clearing heat, transforming phlegm, and settling fright.

Related Products

Nong's Tian Zhu Huang Concentrated Granules

Nong's Tian Zhu Huang (Bamboo Concretion) Single Herb 5:1 Concentrated Granules $175.29

Hoi Tin Tian Zhu Huang (Tabasheer) Single Herb 15:1 Concentrated Granules, 100 g TCM Herbal Supplement

Hoi Tin Tian Zhu Huang (Tabasheer) Single Herb 15:1 Concentrated Granules $88.52

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.