Leatherleaf Mahonia Stem … Classic Formulas
Gong Lao Mu · Caulis Mahoniae
Primary Actions
- Clears heat and dries dampness ... Gong Lao Mu is used for damp-heat patterns with jaundice, diarrhea, or lower-body inflammatory discomfort.
- Purges fire and relieves toxicity ... traditional use extends to sore throat, toothache, boils, and other heat-toxin presentations.
- Has a regional liver-and-eye lane ... some local traditions use it when liver heat is accompanied by red swollen eyes or irritability.
Classic Formulas
- Damp-heat jaundice and dysentery modifications ... the herb is added when bitterness and coldness are wanted without turning to the strongest purgatives.
- Heat-toxin external washes and powders ... a familiar traditional lane for boils, swollen gums, or inflamed skin.
- Toothache and throat-pain combinations ... used when fire-toxin and damp-heat are both part of the picture.
Classical Text References
- Traditional Chinese herb references describe Gong Lao Mu as a bitter cold stem that clears heat, dries dampness, and removes toxicity.
- Its best-defined traditional identity is a heat-and-damp stem medicine rather than a general tonic shrub.