Evidence supporting the use of: Lung
For the health condition: Cough (damp)
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the lung organ system is closely associated with the regulation of respiration and the movement of fluids in the body. Coughs characterized as "damp" are typically described as having symptoms such as productive phlegm, a sensation of heaviness, or chest congestion. TCM theory holds that the Lung governs qi (vital energy) and controls breathing, while also dispersing and descending fluids. When dampness disrupts the Lung’s function, it is believed to result in cough with profuse phlegm and other damp symptoms. Herbal formulas and therapies in TCM often focus on "supporting the Lung" to resolve dampness, transform phlegm, and stop cough. There is limited scientific validation for these concepts, and the physiological mechanisms described in TCM do not directly correlate with biomedical understanding of respiratory diseases. However, the historical and traditional rationale for using Lung-supporting strategies in the treatment of damp cough is well established in TCM literature, dating back centuries. Common herbs, such as Pinellia (Ban Xia) and Poria (Fu Ling), are used in classic formulas like Er Chen Tang to treat these patterns by supporting Lung function according to TCM theory. While some individual herbs have shown expectorant or anti-inflammatory properties in laboratory studies, there is not strong clinical evidence to support the specific traditional use of "supporting Lung" for damp cough as described in TCM.
Other ingredients used for Cough (damp)
aloe verablack currant
black pepper
radish
chen pi
clove
cowage seed
turmeric
elderberry
garlic bulb
ginger
glehnia root
green tea
licorice root
oregano
parsley
pear
perilla
phellodendron amurense
platycodon root
pomegranate
quercetin
rhizome
thyme
zhejiang fritillary
zinc
hyssop
atractylodes
alpinia galangal
ferula assafoetida
inula racemosa
anise
pistacia integerrima gall
fritillaria
coltsfoot
eucalyptus
horehound
Anamarrhena
Asarum heterotropoides
Asafoetida
Asam gelugor
Adenophora
Allium tuberosum
Asarum sieboldii
Atractylone
Bael
Butternut
Balloon Flower
Cineole
Common madia
Chekiang Fritillary
Chondrus
Dichrostachys glomerata
Galangal
Ivy
Other health conditions supported by Lung
AsthmaCongestion (lungs)
Cough (damp)
Cough (general)
Cough (spastic)
Emphysema
Lungs (fluid in)
Wheezing