Evidence supporting the use of: Anamarrhena
For the health condition: Cough (damp)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Anemarrhena asphodeloides, known as "Zhimu" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has a long history of use for treating respiratory conditions, including coughs associated with "dampness." In TCM, coughs are often categorized based on their underlying patterns, such as "dry" or "damp." Anemarrhena is traditionally regarded as a "cooling" and "moistening" herb, used to clear heat and nourish yin, which makes it particularly appropriate for "damp-heat" coughs — those that present with thick phlegm, a sensation of fullness in the chest, and sometimes fever or dryness. The classical TCM texts, such as the "Shennong Bencao Jing" and "Bencao Gangmu," mention Anemarrhena's use in formulas for lung heat and moistening dryness in the lungs.

Scientific validation for these specific historical uses is limited. While there are modern pharmacological studies showing that Anemarrhena contains compounds like mangiferin, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, direct evidence for efficacy against damp cough in clinical settings is lacking. Most evidence supporting its use comes from TCM theory and centuries of empirical use in herbal formulas, rather than from randomized controlled trials or modern biomedical research. Thus, its role in treating "damp" cough is supported mainly by traditional use and TCM theoretical frameworks, and the evidence rating is modest (2/5) due to the lack of robust clinical validation.

More about Anamarrhena
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