Qu Mai
English Name: dianthus, Chinese pink, fringed pink, rainbow pink
Pharmaceutical Name: Herba Dianthi
Medica Category: Water-Regulating and Damp-Resolving Herbs
Properties: Qu Mai enters the Urinary Bladder, Heart, and Small Intestine channels; it is bitter in nature and cold in temperature.
What is Qu Mai?:
The Chinese Herb Qu Mai is the dried aerial parts of the Chinese (or fringed) pink (Dianthus superbus L.), an herbaceous perennial native to cooler climes in Northern China with stalks up to 2-3 ft. tall that blossom with fringed pink to lavender colored flowers in the summer.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Qu Mai:
Qu Mai clears damp-heat from the Urinary Bladder channel, promotes diuresis, and regulates water circulation to treat various form of lin zheng (dysuria syndrome) with such clinical presentations as: painful, burning sensations when urinating, blood in the urine, and urethral calculin (stones).
Qu Mai invigorates blood circulation and regulates menstruation and can be used (as an assistant) in formula to help with amenorrhea and blood clots in the menses.
**safety note— Qu Mai is contraindicated for pregnancy and for those with postpartum urinary difficulty.
**safety note— this herb has a diuretic effect and should be used with caution/under supervision of a trained TCM practitioner when combined with pharmaceutical medications that have diuretic effects (such as chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide (Lasix), bumetanide (Bumex), and torsemide (Demadex)) to avoid potentially excessive loss of fluids and/or electrolytes.