Bo He / Mint (Herba Menthae):
Bo He, one of the friendliest herbs in the Materia Medica. One always imagines curling up with a nice hot cup of mint tea and reading a book. We’ve always known it has some healing properties, but many people don’t realize just how useful it can be.
Bo He - Mint for common cold, sore throat and red eyes
Bo he is an herb that is pungent, aromatic and cooling, in Chinese Medicine Herbal Theory, it enters the Lung and Liver channels to treat conditions therein.
Uses:
- Bo He relieves the head, eyes and throat for cough, headache, red eyes and sore throat.
- In the early stages of rashes such as measles, Bo He assists in bringing them to the surface and speeding recovery.
- Assists to relieve pressure in the chest caused by stress, over work and anxiety.
- Is an assistant to other herbs that can help with stomach pains caused by too much hot, spicy, greasy foods which can bring about stomachache, vomiting and diarrhea.
History:
The classical text Transforming the Significance of Medicinal Substances, written in 1644 AD during the Ming dynasty by Jia Jiu Ru / Jia Suo Xue (贾久茹/贾莎学) states:
The flavor of Bo He is acrid, thus it disperses, cool in nature, thus it clears heat, unblocks, and facilitates the meting places of the six yang channels on the head. It expels pathogenic wind in all fevers. With its penetrating nature and light cooling, it excels at moving over the face and head: it treats loss of voice, mouth and teeth problems, and cools the throat. With its aroma to facilitate the [opening of the] orifices, it excels at moving through the muscle layer of the exterior: it reduces fluid retention and disperses heat in the muscles.
Research:
- Chinese Medicine and the treatment of Atopic Dermatitis
- The Rediscovery of Ancient Chinese Formulas
- The Use of Herbal Formulas on Acute Respiratory Syndrome Epidemic
Tags: Benefits, Chinese Herbs, Research