Quick Facts
| Latin Name | Rhizoma Belamcandae |
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| Chinese Name & Pinyin | 射干 · She Gan |
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| Medicinal Part | Roots and rhizomes |
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| Efficacy Category | Heat-clearing |
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| Botanical Origin | The dried rhizome of Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.(Iridaceae) |
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| Nature & Flavour | Bitter; Cold |
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| Channels Entered | Lung |
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What Is She Gan?
She Gan (Belamcanda Rhizome) is a medicinal herb of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Hubei, Jiangsu, Henan.
Nature & Flavour: Bitter; Cold
Channels Entered: Lung
She Gan: Materia Medica Profile
Identification & Quality Standard
Rhizoma Belamcandae
Botanical Origin
The dried rhizome of Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.(Iridaceae)
Production Regions
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Hubei, Jiangsu, Henan.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material is fat and strong, with yellow flesh, no hairy root.
Macroscopic Features
Irregular knotty shape, about 3~10cm long, 1~1.5cm diameter. Externally grayish-brown or with black-brown spots, wrinkled and slope or twisted circular lines, densely arranged, upper surface has disc-like indented stem scars, lower surface has remnants of thin roots and root scars. Hard texture, fractured surface is yellow, granular. faint odor, bitter taste.
Traditional TCM Properties
Bitter; ColdLung
Traditional Functions
Clears heat, resolves toxin, promotes throat, transforms phlegm. Apply to swelling and pain in throat, cough with dyspnea, stagnation with phlegm and saliva, scrofula and tuberculosis, malarial nodule, amenorrhea, and swollen welling-abscesses and sores.
Classical Formulas Containing She Gan
Frequently Asked Questions
What is She Gan? Are Shan Dou Gen, Jie Geng and Ma Bo the same?
Official She Gan (射干) is the dried rhizome of Belamcanda chinensis. The pharmacopoeial name is Belamcandae Rhizoma. Shan Dou Gen is bitter-cold and toxic: clears heat, resolves toxin, disperses swelling and benefits the throat, with a stricter dose. Jie Geng is bitter-acrid and neutral: diffuses the Lung, benefits the throat, dispels phlegm and expels pus. Ma Bo is acrid-neutral: clears the Lung, benefits the throat and stops bleeding. Write She Gan. Use caution in Spleen-vacuity loose stool.
What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of She Gan?
According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, She Gan is bitter and cold, enters the Lung channel, and acts to clear heat, resolve toxin, eliminate phlegm and benefit the throat. It is used for heat-toxin and phlegm-fire binding, swollen painful throat, copious phlegm-drool, and cough with wheezing. Bitter-cold and downbearing, it suits heat-toxin sore throat and phlegm-fire cough—not absence of excess heat, or Spleen-vacuity loose stool.
Does She Gan need special processing? Can Shan Dou Gen replace it?
Remove foreign matter, wash, soften, slice thin and dry. Sophora root is toxic and used in a smaller dose; it cannot replace eliminating phlegm and benefiting the throat by equal weight. Commercial “She Gan flower” is not rhizome pieces. Cold-phlegm cough needs warm dispersing herbs; do not use bitter-cold alone.
Learn More About She Gan
Explore our in-depth article covering the traditional uses, properties, functions, and TCM context of She Gan.
Read the She Gan Guide →
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.
