Bi Xie （Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae）

This product is a more commonly used drug, also known as red knot. It was first recorded in "Famous Doctor's Directory" 《名医别录》 where it was listed as a medium grade. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" 《本草纲目》 has it included in the grass vine category, where it is also known as Bai Ba Qia (white sarsaparilla).

Aliases: Mian Bi Xie, Fen Bi Xie, Bi Xi.

Source: Dried stems of perennial climbing vines and several plants of the same genus. The first two are the main sources of Mian Bi Xie, and the latter is the main source of Fen Bi Xie. Mian Bi Xie is Dioscorea septemloba Thunb.; Fu Zhou Bi Xie is D. Futsc Hauensis; Fen Bei Shu Yu is D.collettii Hook.f.hyPoglauca (Palib.), the dried tubers of Pei et Ting. Most of the slices are processed at the place of origin. All wild.

Origin: Mainly produced in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan and Jiangnan.

Trait identification

· Mian Bi Xie: irregular flakes, about 3mm thick, the size of the slice is different, the surrounding skin is gray-yellow, curled. The cut surface is white or light yellowish white, rough, with tendon and vein points, the cotton is soft and lightly foamed, easy to break, has no distinct smell and slightly bitter. It is better to be white, soft cotton, neat and unbroken.

· Fen Bi Xie: irregular flakes with a thickness of less than 1mm, brown periphery, convex and concave curved, and different sizes. The facets are white or yellowish-white, and some have yellowish-green spots. Slightly delicate and flat. The texture is slightly brittle, elastic, and easy to break. The gas is tasteless and slightly bitter. It is better to have white color, large and thin pieces, and elasticity.

Main ingredients: contains diosgenins and other steroidal saponins. The hydrolysis of total saponins produces diosquins.

Pharmacological effects: dispelling wind and dehumidifying.

Preparation: Raw.

Taste: bitter and sweet, flat (in terms of warm or cold).

Meridians: into the liver, kidneys, stomach meridians.

Function: remove dampness and turbidity, remove wind and paralysis.

Used to Treat: leucorrhoea, waist and knee pain, damp heat sores.

Clinical application

（1）  It is used to treat frequent urination and urinary incontinence (especially in children). With Yi Zhi Ren and Wu Yao.

（2）  It is used to treat urine issues (cloudy urine, or when urine looks like porridge, short urine, and unfinished feeling post urination). For those with damp heat syndrome (can be seen in acute urethritis and cystitis), Che Qian Zi and Huang Bai should be used to strengthen the effect of dampness and heat clearing, such as in the formula “Cheng Shi Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin”, and those with yang deficiency and kidney deficiency syndrome (can be seen in chronic prostatitis, chyluluria, etc., etc.), should have the herb paired with Wu Yao, Yi Zhi Ren, etc., such as in formula “Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin”.

（3）  It is used to treat damp heat and paralysis pain, especially low back cold pain, poor movement of lower limbs, and numbness (can be seen in peripheral neuritis and rheumatoid arthritis). The experience of the predecessors said that this herb "treats dampness the best, followed by the treatment of wind, and the treatment of cold is especially second". For myalgia caused by damp heat and rheumatism, this product does have a relieving effect, and is often combined with medicines such as Sang Zhi, Luo Shi Teng, Niu Xi.

（4）  It is used for the treatment of skin eczema, chronic dermatitis, or impetigo and other damp heat syndromes, often with Huang Bai, Yi Yi Ren, etc., such as the formula “Bi Xie Qu Shi Tang”.

Dosage: 4.5~12g. Large doses can be used up to 24~30g.

Prescription examples

（1）  Cheng Shi Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin (from "Medical Understanding" 《医学心悟》): Chuan Bi Xie 9g, Huang Bai 9g, Shi Chang Pu 4.5g, Yun Ling 12g, Bai Zhu 9g, Lian Zi Xin 6g, Dan Shen 4.5g Che Qian Zi 12g (bagged decoction), decoction in water.

（2）  Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin (from “Yang's Fang” 《杨氏方》): Chuan Bi Xie 9g, Yi Zhi Ren 6g, Wu Yao 9g, Shi Chuan Pu 4.5g, Fu Ling 9g, Sheng Gan Cao 3g, decoction in water.

（3）  Bi Xie Qu Shi Tang: Chuan Bi Xie 9g, Huang Bai 9g, Sheng Yi Ren 15g, Chi Shao 9g, Dan Pi 9g, Ze Xie 9g, Sheng Hua Shi 12g, Tong Cao 3g, decoction in water.

Annotations

1.  The origin of Bi Xie is complex. Li Shizhen said: There are two kinds, the stem has thorns, the roots are white, and the thornless roots are soft. The soft one is better, the vine grows, and the leaves are like those of potatoes. There are three kinds of common commodities on the market, two of which are white or yellow-white, one is soft and the other is slightly more solid. It is the same as what Li Shi Zhen said, in Beijing and Tianjin it is customary to think the soft type is better.

2.  There is another kind of Bie Xie which is red, it is not used in Beijing and Tianjin. It is mainly produced in Sichuan Province, and according to the "Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine Chronicle" 《四川中药志》, it is the tuber of several plants of the genus Sarsaparilla of the Liliaceae family. The original plant needs to be further studied. The product is irregular and messy slices, with different thicknesses and sizes. The periphery is brown and not straight. The cut surface is reddish-brown with yellow coarse fibers in the center. The body is slightly light, hard and easy to break. It has no smell and is of a  light taste.

3.  In Sichuan Province, it is often mixed with Tu Fu Ling.

4.  It is generally customary to think that Bi Xie are slightly bitter. The cross-section is slightly rough. Less powdery. It does not feel sticky or slippery when wet. Tu Fu Ling has a light sweet taste but no bitterness. The section is slightly delicate and has no coarse fibrous tissue, contains powder, and is sticky and slippery after being wet or boiling in water.

Disclaimer: All above articles are for reference only. If patients are interested, please consult a professional practitioner Traditional Chinese Medicine for a consultation.