Ophiopogon Root – 1 lb (454 g)

Ophiopogon Root, known in Chinese as 麦冬 (Màidōng) and scientifically as Radix Ophiopogonis, is a valued herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This TCM herb has been traditionally used to support natural wellness, maintain vitality, and encourage holistic balance. At TCMforyou.com, we provide premium-quality Ophiopogon Root carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Ophiopogon Root helps promote overall well-being and supports natural energy, immunity, and balance. Integrating this herb into your wellness routine offers a gentle, time-tested approach to enhancing daily health. Whether brewed as tea, added to herbal remedies, or taken as part of a TCM formula, Ophiopogon Root provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Ophiopogon Root has been used in TCM to harmonize the body and encourage optimal functioning of key systems. At TCMforyou, we prioritize authenticity and quality. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and potency, delivering an herbal product aligned with traditional practices.

Experience the natural support of Ophiopogon Root, promoting immune health, vitality, and holistic well-being. Embrace the wisdom of TCM and incorporate this gentle, effective herbal remedy into your daily wellness journey.

[Overview] This herb is also known as Maidong, Cun Dong, and Jiuye Maidong. It is the tuberous root of Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker-Gawl., a plant of the Liliaceae family. The main production areas are Sichuan, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces. It is harvested in summer, washed clean, repeatedly sun-dried, piled up until about 70-80% dry, then the fibrous roots are removed and it is dried in the sun.

[Properties] Taste is sweet and slightly bitter; nature is slightly cold. It enters the Lung, Stomach, and Heart meridians.

[Actions] Nourishes Yin and generates fluids; moistens the lungs and clears the heart.

[Applications]
1. Used for dryness injuring the lungs or lung Yin deficiency with heat causing dry cough with sticky sputum, chronic cough with blood, dry throat and nose, lung abscess. For warm dryness attacking the lungs with dry cough and little sputum or sticky sputum, often combined with Mulberry Leaf (Sang Ye), Glehnia Root (Sha Shen), Trichosanthes Root (Tian Hua Fen), as in Sha Shen Maidong Tang. For Yin deficiency lung dryness with heat causing dry nose and throat, dry cough with little sputum, coughing blood, sore throat, hoarseness, often combined with Mulberry Leaf, Apricot Kernel (Xing Ren), and Donkey-hide Gelatin (E Jiao), as in Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang. For Yin deficiency chronic cough with blood, mild cases combined with Asparagus Root (Tian Men Dong), Anemarrhena (Zhi Mu), Fritillaria (Bei Mu); for prolonged illness with blood in sputum or hemoptysis, combined with Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang), Stemona (Bai Bu), Bletilla (Bai Ji), E Jiao, as in Yue Hua Wan; if accompanied by tidal fever and bone steaming, add Lycium Bark (Di Gu Pi), Artemisia Annua (Qing Hao), Turtle Shell (Bie Jia). For lung abscess, often combined with Platycodon Root (Jie Geng).
2. Used for stomach Yin injury due to heat or stomach Yin deficiency causing dry mouth and throat, stomach pain, internal heat thirst, constipation. For heat injuring stomach Yin with dry mouth, red tongue with little coating, often combined with Glehnia Root, Polygonatum (Yu Zhu), Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang); if accompanied by poor appetite, combined with Millet Sprout (Gu Ya), Hyacinth Bean (Bian Dou); if accompanied by rebellious Qi with nausea and vomiting, combined with Pinellia (Ban Xia), Japonica Rice (Jing Mi), Licorice (Gan Cao); if both Qi and Yin are injured with shortness of breath, reluctance to speak, sweating, dry mouth and thirst, combined with Ginseng (Ren Shen), Schisandra (Wu Wei Zi). For internal heat thirst, often combined with Trichosanthes Root (Gua Lou Gen), Reed Rhizome (Lu Gen), Imperata Root (Mao Gen); for febrile disease with fluid injury and constipation, often combined with Scrophularia (Xuan Shen), Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang), as in Zeng Ye Tang.
3. Used for heart Yin deficiency and heat disturbing the heart or nutritive level causing irritability and insomnia, red dry tongue. For Yin deficiency heat causing irritability and insomnia, often combined with Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang), Sour Jujube Seed (Suan Zao Ren), as in Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan; for heat disturbing the heart nutritive level with fever, irritability, red dry tongue, often combined with Coptis (Huang Lian), Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang), Bamboo Leaf Heart (Zhu Ye Xin), as in Qing Ying Tang.
4. Used for heat in the blood causing vomiting blood or nosebleed, often combined with Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang), Large and Small Thistle (Da Xiao Ji), Cattail Pollen (Sheng Pu Huang).

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decoction, 6–12 g; or prepared as a syrup; or included in pills or powders.

[Cautions] Contraindicated in cases of deficiency cold diarrhea, damp turbidity obstruction, wind-cold or cold-phlegm cough and asthma.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents: The tuberous root contains various glycosides, multiple steroidal saponins, mucilage, glucose, β-sitosterol, and 28 inorganic elements including potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and chromium.
2. Pharmacological effects: Maidong decoction significantly enhances hypoxia tolerance in experimental animals, increases coronary artery flow, protects against myocardial ischemia, has anti-arrhythmic effects and improves myocardial contractility; exhibits significant hypoglycemic and some sedative effects; enhances reticuloendothelial system phagocytic function, raises peripheral white blood cells, promotes antibody production and prolongs immune function; shows significant inhibitory effects on pathogenic bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhi; scavenges free radicals in the body and has anti-aging effects.
3. Clinical reports: (1) Pediatric summer heat: Maidong 15 g, salted olive 1–2 pieces, field frog 1. After cleaning the frog and removing intestines, place Maidong and salted olive inside the frog’s abdomen, sew it closed with needle and thread, add appropriate water and stew to make soup. Take 1–2 doses daily. Treated 40 cases, all cured. [Fujian Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1986,(1):18] (2) Nipple fissures: Maidong 50 g, ground into powder. Mixed with edible vinegar to form a paste, applied evenly to affected area, changed every 5 hours, 3 days per course. Treated 31 cases, all cured; 8 cured after 1 course, 16 after 2 courses, 7 after 3 courses. [Shandong Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1995,14(1):34]