← Reference library
    Yemama Apothecary

    Bencao Gangmu Reference Library

    Heat-Clearing, Diuretic Lithagogue & Eye-Brightening Sovereign (清热利尿 / 通淋渗湿止泻清肝明目清肺化痰生肌敛疮 — 泌尿系结石与清热明目第一草)

    大车前草 / 车前草 / 车轮菜 / 虾蟆衣 / 蛤蟆草 — Plantago major L.

    Pinyin: Dàchēqiáncǎo / Chēqiáncǎo · Malay: Ekor Anjing / Daun Sejambak / Plantain · Family: Plantaginaceae (车前科)

    Botanical Illustration

    Energetics

    Cold to Cool (微寒 / 凉)

    Flavor

    Sweet, bland, slightly bitter (甘、淡、微苦)

    Meridians

    Liver (肝), Kidney (肾), Urinary Bladder (膀胱), Lung (肺), Small Intestine (小肠)

    Traditional Edict

    Broadleaf Plantain (Ekor Anjing / Da Che Qian Cao). Parallel-veined broad leaves and rat-tail flower spikes. Drains damp-heat to dissolve and flush calcium oxalate kidney stones (Batu Karang), clears eye redness and cataracts, heals burns.

    Cautions & Contraindications

    • Maintain high hydration (>2.5 L water daily) when treating urinary calculi. Contraindicated as monotherapy in complete urinary tract obstruction. Contraindicated in cold watery diarrhea without damp-heat.

    Clinical Applications

    • Calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis/urolithiasis (stone matrix dissolution and flushing), acute bacterial cystitis with burning dysuria, conjunctivitis and corneal pterygium, and acute bronchitis with yellow phlegm.

    Quality Markers

    Aucubin (桃叶珊瑚苷) >= 0.50%, Plantamajoside >= 1.00% & Potassium Salts >= 3.00% (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)

    Mechanism & Phytochemistry

    1. Potassium salts and plantamajoside elevate urinary pH (>6.8) and urinary citrate, inhibiting calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystallization. 2. Aucubin stimulates tissue re-epithelialization and downregulates NF-kB. 3. Diuretic flush.

    Preparation & Dosage

    THE SOVEREIGN BROADLEAF PLANTAIN STONE-EXPELLING DECOCTION: 30 to 50 g dried herb boiled with Desmodium styracifolium and Orthosiphon in 1.5 L water for 30 min. Fresh expressed eye wash for conjunctivitis. Topical burn poultice: 50 g fresh leaves.

    Appended Prescriptions

    • 1. Classical Eight-Herb Strangury Powder (Ba Zheng San) with Dianthus superbus (Qu Mai). 2. Liver-Clearing Vision-Brightening Tea with Chrysanthemum morifolium (Ju Hua).

    Enter your email to unlock the full clinical data and formulation notes.

    No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Yemama Apothecary · Petaling Jaya, Malaysia · For educational and clinical reference only