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Bomboo Juice, also known as Bamboo Shavings, is the liquid extracted from fresh bamboo stalks such as Phyllostachys nigra and Phyllostachys pubescens after being roasted over fire. It has a sweet taste and a cold nature, and it targets the heart, lung, and stomach meridians. Its primary function is to clear heat and dissolve phlegm. Clinically, it is referred to as Bomboo Juice or Bamboo Oil.

bubble_chart Compendium of Materia Medica

Mingyi Bielu: It has a sweet taste and is extremely cold (Great Cold, the 24th solar term), non-toxic. It is used to treat sudden apoplexy, migratory impediment, intense heat in the chest, restlessness, and consumptive thirst due to overfatigue relapse.

Kaibao Bencao: Extremely cold (Great Cold, the 24th solar term), it treats sudden apoplexy, migratory impediment, intense heat in the chest, and restlessness.

Bencao Yanyi Buyi: According to the "Materia Medica," it is extremely cold (Great Cold, the 24th solar term). In general, it is similar to Gypsum, Scutellaria, and Coptis. However, it is also used in various prescriptions to treat postpartum and prenatal conditions, incised wounds with lockjaw, blood deficiency with spontaneous sweating, and consumptive thirst with excessive urination, all of which are related to yin deficiency. It is lamentable that some dismiss its use without proper consideration. Neijing: It states that yin-deficiency fever can be treated with Great Cold (24th solar term), as it directly addresses the condition. Chinese Yam is cold and can tonify, and while it is sometimes used, Bomboo Juice is often doubted due to its extreme cold nature. This is akin to rejecting a talented individual like Chen Ping due to minor flaws. Bomboo Juice has a sweet taste and a slow action, capable of alleviating yin deficiency with intense heat. The term "Great Cold" refers to its efficacy, not its nature. It is important to consider this distinction. If one disagrees, it should be noted that people consume bamboo shoots from childhood to old age without falling ill due to their cold nature. The juice is extracted from bamboo shoots and further processed with fire, so how can it be excessively cold?

Bencao Gangmu: Bomboo Juice is cold and slippery in nature, making it suitable for conditions caused by wind-fire and dryness-heat with phlegm. However, it can harm the stomach and intestines in individuals with cold-dampness and stomach deficiency. Zhu Danxi's assertion that "Great Cold" refers to its efficacy rather than its nature contradicts logic. While bamboo is cold, it is not necessarily extremely cold.

It treats eclampsia, wind convulsions, and neutralizes the poison of Aconitum. It also alleviates toothache.

Bencao Jingshu: Bomboo Juice is the body fluid of bamboo. The classics describe it as extremely cold (Great Cold), referring to its inherent nature. After being processed with fire, its coldness diminishes, and its slippery nature helps to expel phlegm and open the orifices, making it a crucial remedy for apoplexy. Apoplexy is often caused by yin deficiency with effulgent fire, which dries up body fluids, forming phlegm that obstructs the airways and prevents the proper flow of qi, leading to sudden collapse or hemiplegia. This medicine can travel through the meridians, dissolve phlegm, and, with its sweet and cold nature, nourish yin and clear heat. Once phlegm and heat are removed, the airways clear, and Jingmai flow is restored, alleviating external symptoms. Its ability to treat intense heat in the chest and restlessness is due to its heat-clearing and yin-nourishing properties. Ancient texts using Bomboo Juice to treat apoplexy indicate that apoplexy is often caused by yin deficiency and phlegm-heat. If it were caused by external wind pathogens, how could a sweet, cold, and slippery medicine like this be effective?

Contraindications: It should not be used for cold phlegm, damp phlegm, or phlegm caused by improper diet.

Bencao Mengquan: It is often taken with a small amount of ginger juice. For each cup of juice, add two spoonfuls of fresh ginger juice. It alleviates yin-deficiency fever and treats apoplexy with clenched teeth. For children with fright epilepsy, it calms immediately; for women with postpartum fainting, it revives upon ingestion. The "Yanyi" states: It does not harm the fetus during pregnancy and does not weaken the body postpartum. It calms fright and dissolves phlegm. Phlegm in the limbs cannot be reached without it; phlegm beneath the skin and membranes can be expelled with it. However, people often doubt its use due to its extreme cold nature. They fail to realize that it is processed with fire and combined with ginger juice, so how can it be excessively cold?

Yaojian: It is cold in nature, with a bitter and pungent taste, and is a key medicine for phlegm disorders. It must be combined with ginger juice to travel through the meridians. Thus, phlegm in the limbs cannot be resolved without Bomboo Juice. Phlegm beneath the skin and membranes cannot be expelled without ginger juice. Phlegm in the chest should be treated with Bomboo Juice, and wind-phlegm can also be treated with it. It can treat heat-phlegm and nourish blood while clearing heat. For cases of phlegm syncope with near-fatal unconsciousness, administering Bomboo Juice can revive the patient immediately.

Jingyue Quanshu: It has a sweet taste and a slightly cool nature, belonging to the yin category and having a descending action. It treats sudden apoplexy with phlegm, aphonia, intense heat in the chest, and restlessness with consumptive thirst. Zhu Danxi said: For wind-phlegm and deficient phlegm in the chest and diaphragm causing manic-depressive psychosis, or phlegm in the meridians, limbs, and beneath the skin and membranes, this medicine is essential for reaching and resolving the phlegm.

Bencao Beiyao: Drains fire, resolves phlegm, and moistens dryness. Sweet, cold, and slippery. Dispels wind, reduces fire, moistens dryness, and transforms phlegm. Nourishes blood and benefits yin. Just as humans have blood, bamboo has its sap, which can tonify yin and clear fire. Opens the orifices and improves vision. Treats apoplexy, lockjaw, phlegm obstruction with intense heat, wind-induced convulsions, manic and depressive psychosis, and restlessness. According to the "Chan Ru Fang": For pregnancy-related irritability known as dysphoria during pregnancy, take Bamboo Juice in small amounts without restriction. The "Mei Shi" adds Poria and decocts it. Treats consumptive thirst and spontaneous sweating due to blood deficiency. However, it can chill the stomach and loosen the bowels; those with cold-dampness should avoid it. The "Jing Shu" states: It is an essential medicine for apoplexy. All cases of apoplexy are caused by yin deficiency with effulgent fire and phlegm-heat congestion. If it were due to external wind pathogens, how could such a cold and slippery medicine be used? Danxi said: For phlegm in the meridians, limbs, or beneath the skin, nothing else can reach and move it. He also said: Its sweet taste and mild nature can eliminate intense heat due to yin deficiency. It is cold yet tonifying, does not harm deficiency after childbirth, and does not damage the fetus during pregnancy. People often avoid it because the "Materia Medica" describes it as "Great Cold" (24th solar term), yet those who eat bamboo shoots never fall ill from cold even in old age. The sap is the essence of bamboo shoots, formed with the help of fire, so how can it be so excessively cold? The "Zhi Fa" states: Bamboo Juice cooked with rice into porridge can treat regurgitation. Bamboo Shavings are scraped from green tangerine peel, and Bamboo Juice is extracted like Vitex Juice. Ginger juice is used as a guide. Ginger resolves phlegm and counteracts its cold nature.

Benjing Fengyuan：Bamboo Leaf acts on the surface of the muscles, hence it can treat sores and kill worms; Bamboo Shavings specifically clears the stomach, thus it can stop vomiting and relieve irritability; Bomboo Juice is excellent in penetrating the meridians, capable of treating muscle spasms, and phlegm within the skin membrane and the meridians of the limbs, which cannot be resolved without Bomboo Juice. Its pure yin nature, although activated by fire, requires ginger juice to stimulate its efficacy for immediate results. The "Qianjin" text treats wind paralysis with no pain, unresponsive limbs, and mild mental confusion with a Bomboo Juice drink. Detailed in Benjing, it treats muscle tension by utilizing the moistening properties of Bomboo Juice. The "Qianjin" text treats unresponsive limbs by combining it with aconite, cinnamon, and antelope horn to invigorate. One method relaxes tension, the other restores slackness, demonstrating its miraculous use. Some say Bomboo Juice is cold in nature and only suitable for hot phlegm, but when used in formulas with aconite and cinnamon, it can also disperse damp phlegm and cold fluids. However, if mistakenly used in cases of stomach deficiency, slippery intestines, or qi-blocked constipation, it can lead to hiccups, inability to eat, and fatal diarrhea. Once it occurs, it is sudden and difficult to reverse.

Bencao Chongyuan：Zhu Zhen-heng said: Bomboo Juice smooths phlegm, but cannot move without the assistance of ginger juice.

Bencao Qiuzhen：[Note] Clears phlegm within the skin membrane and external dryness.

Bomboo Juice specifically enters the meridians and the skin membrane. Sweet and cold, it specializes in dispelling wind, reducing fire, moistening dryness, moving phlegm, nourishing blood, and benefiting yin. For children with fright epilepsy, yin-deficiency fever, lockjaw, postpartum dizziness due to hemorrhage, and phlegm in the meridians, limbs, and skin membrane, it shows immediate effects. Just as blood comes from a person, juice comes from bamboo. It is extremely effective in tonifying yin, excels in clearing fire, and tonifying yin also results from fire clearing. Its slippery nature allows it to move through orifices and expel phlegm, making it a key medicine for apoplexy. Apoplexy often results from yin deficiency with effulgent fire, which boils body fluids into phlegm, blocking the airway and preventing normal flow. Taking this can smooth the meridians, remove phlegm heat, clear the airway, and cure external symptoms. Thus, it is suitable for fire dryness-heat. Li Shizhen said: Bomboo Juice is cold and slippery, generally suitable for those with fire-induced heat and phlegm. However, those with cold-dampness, stomach deficiency, and slippery intestines may find it harmful to their stomach and intestines. Bamboo shoots [Note] are slippery and can cause diarrhea; monks call them "intestinal scrapers," meaning the same. Zhu's statement about Great Cold (24th solar term) refers to its efficacy, not its nature, which is contrary to reason. If it is said to have the nature of Great Cold, it does not harm its efficacy. However, it should not be used in cases of spleen and stomach deficiency, slippery intestines, cold phlegm-dampness, or food accumulation phlegm.

Depei Bencao：Light Bomboo Juice, with ginger juice as its guide. Avoid Gleditisia Spine and sesame oil.

Sweet, cold. Treats mania and irritability, benefits the nine orifices. Treats traumatic apoplexy, stops fetal movement due to touch, nourishes blood, and improves vision. For phlegm in the meridians, limbs, chest, diaphragm, and skin membrane, it is essential.

Combined with ginger juice, it treats apoplexy heat stagnation phlegm; combined with Rehmannia, it treats seasonal yin deficiency heat.

Contraindicated in cases of intestinal and stomach cold dampness.

Bencao Jing Jie：Bomboo Juice has the nature of Great Cold (24th solar term), inheriting the cold water qi of Asparagus Root, entering the foot Shaoyin kidney meridian; its sweet taste is non-toxic, obtaining the central earth flavor, entering the foot Taiyin spleen meridian. Its nature is more descending than ascending, yin in nature.

Sudden illnesses are all related to fire; intense fire generates wind, leading to stiffness or hemilateral impediment. Bomboo Juice, sweet and cold, can clear heat and relax tension, hence it is effective.

The chest is where the Taiyin spleen meridian passes; spleen yin deficiency leads to intense heat in the chest. Herbs that are sweet and cold clear heat, hence they are effective.

The kidney represents water, the heart represents fire; when water does not control fire, there is restlessness and consumptive thirst. It is effective because sweet and cold can strengthen water and clear fire.

Overfatigue relapse, cold-damage disease Rebing after recovery, heat returns due to overwork. It is effective because sweet and cold can both tonify and clear.

Bencao Fenjing：Sweet, bitter, cold, slippery. Disperses phlegm, reduces fire, moves phlegm in the meridians, limbs, and skin membrane. Suitable for phlegm caused by wind, heat, dryness, and fire. Ginger juice is its guide. For deficiency, use with Ginseng to stabilize the meridians, Bomboo Juice to smooth the meridians, enhancing the sweet and cold properties.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

1. Bomboo Juice has cough-suppressing, phlegm-dispelling, and asthma-relieving effects.
2. Bomboo Juice has the effect of promoting the propulsion movement of the small intestine.