Ban Xia / 半夏 (Pinellia Tuber)

Ban Xia / 半下

熟半下, 炙半下 (cooked)

生半下 (uncooked)

伞下

生半, 夏半

Pinelliae Rhizoma praeparatum

Transform Phlegm and Stop Coughing

Warm

Toxic

Acrid

Lung

Spleen

Stomach

Prepared pinellia: Zhi Ban Xia / 制半夏 [製半夏], Pinellia Rhizome)
Unprepared pinellia: Sheng Ban Xia / 生半夏, Pinelliae Rhizoma

Bensky, D., Clavey, S. & Stöger, E. (2004). Chinese herbal medicine: Materia medica (3rd ed.). Seattle: Eastland Press. p. 413 -- "In it's raw form, pinellia is generally considered too toxic for internal use. Therefore, if only the words 半夏 ban xia are written in a predcription, one of the prepared forms will be dispensed, usually either ginger pinellia or standard pinellia...If raw pinellia is desired, this must be specified by writing 生半夏(sheng ban xia), which is usually indicated only in prescriptions for external application." pg. 416

PhysicalObject

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Photograph courtesy of Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site

State of Oregon

Kam Wah Chung Collection

KWC2007.1.214

KWC2007.1.185