Chai Hu has the efficacy of dispersing and reducing fever, dispersing the liver and relieving depression (treating depression by dispersing liver qi), and elevating yang. Clinically, it is often used in treating colds and fever, cold and heat (the body is hot and cold at the same time), distension and pain in the chest and ribs, irregular menstruation, prolapse of the uterus, and prolapse of the anus, etc. It is often combined with Scutellaria to treat Shaoyang diseases.
Chai Hu has an antipyretic effect and is often paired with Scutellariae to treat Shao Yang disease with cold and heat exchanges, bitter fullness in the chest (feeling distended and uncomfortable in the front and sides of the chest), and bitter mouth and dry throat, or Liver Depression that turns into Fire (the Qi of the Liver is not working, resulting in the production of fire-heat and evil qi), such as Xiao Chai Hu Tang and Chai Ge Xie Yi Miao (relieving evil qi from the surface of the skin) Tang.
Chaihu is an important medicine for treating liver qi stagnation (poor qi and blood transportation in the liver, emotional depression), and is often combined with Citrus aurantium, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Paeoniae Alba, and so on, for treating liver qi stagnation (liver qi does not circulate smoothly), and liver-spleen disharmony (liver and spleen do not work in harmony), such as Chaihu Shuanxiao San, and Puanxiao San, etc. When used raw, Chaihu has an ascending and dispersing effect.
When used raw, Chai Hu has a strong ascending and dispersing effect, and is often paired with qi replenishing drugs such as Codonopsis, Astragalus, etc. It has a Yang-raising effect on prolapse of ziguan and prolapse of anus, which are caused by qi deficiency and subsidence.
Chinese medicine pay attention to the evidence-based treatment, if you need to use Chai Hu this drug patients, remember to use under the guidance of a Chinese medicine practitioner’s identification, in order to get twice the result with half the effort.