Rhizome of Chinese Ligusticum … Classic Formulas
Gao Ben · Ligustici Rhizoma et Radix
Primary Actions
- Expels wind-cold and releases the exterior ... Gao Ben is used when headache, body ache, nasal blockage, and aversion to cold show a clear wind-cold pattern.
- Relieves headache and pain ... it is especially associated with vertex and occipital headache, making it a directional herb for the top of the head.
- Dries dampness and opens the nose ... traditional use extends to sinus congestion, thick discharge, and damp-cold turbidity in the head.
Classic Formulas
- Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang ... Gao Ben helps dispel wind-damp cold from the exterior and head.
- Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San modifications ... commonly added when vertex headache is prominent within a wind attack.
- Nasal-opening combinations with Xin Yi or Bai Zhi ... classic strategy for cold-damp obstruction of the head and sinuses.
Classical Text References
- Traditional materia medica describes Gao Ben as acrid and warm, entering the Bladder channel to expel wind-cold and relieve vertex headache.
- Its directional specialty is a key reason it is preserved as a separate herb instead of being collapsed into generic aromatic Apiaceae roots.