Witnessed by: TCM
Dryopteris (Dryopteris crassirhizoma), of the Dryopteridaceae family. Large woodland fern with stout scaly rhizome; native range: north-eastern China, Korea, and Japan. Globally recognized as guan zhong (贯众) in Chinese. The part used is rhizome with leaf-stalk bases. Massive dark rhizome bristling with old frond bases, bitter and rough.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
DRYOPTERIS
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- dryopteris
- Scientific name
- Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai
- Family
- Dryopteridaceae
Form
- Part used
- rhizome with leaf-stalk bases
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- bitter
Temperature
- TCM
- cool
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Liver · Stomach
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- clears heat and resolves toxicity, cools the blood and stops bleeding, kills intestinal parasites, guards against seasonal epidemic disease
Cautions
- Contraindications
- contraindicated in pregnancy and in yin deficiency with heat; avoid in cold deficiency of the Spleen and Stomach
- Toxicity
- slightly toxic; overdose may cause nausea, vomiting, headache, and visual disturbance
This is the card. Sign in for the full four-tradition entry — the aligned TCM · Ayurveda · Western · Unani reading, actions, dosing and cautions.