San Leng

English Name: sparganium rhizome, common bur-reed rhizome

Literal Translation: “three edges”

Pharmaceutical Name: Rhizoma Sparganii

Medica Category: Blood-Invigorating and Stasis-Removing Herbs

Properties: San Leng enters the Liver and Spleen channels; it is bitter in nture and neutral in temperature.

What is San Leng?:

The Chinese Herb San Leng is the dried rhizome (tuber) of the common bur-reed (Sparganium stoloniferum), an aquatic marsh plant found in the shallows of lakes, rivers, ponds etc… in temperate climes around the world. The tubers of this plant are collected in the winter months after the aerial parts have finished their growth cycle for the season and withered. They are cleaned, peeled, dried, and then sliced for use as medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic actions of San Leng:

San Leng breaks blood stasis in severe cases that are characterized by palpable masses and severe, stabbing pain that is relatively fixed in its location.

San Leng disperses qi stagnation and addresses epigastric and abdominal pain (often with indigestion).

San Leng can be used to disperse abdominal hardness (e.g. in cases of constipation with palpable masses in the large intestines)

stipation due to

–safety notes:

Contraindicated during pregnancy and in cases of profuse menstrual bleeding (hypermenorrhea)

San Leng should be used with caution in persons taking anticoagulant medications such as heparin, warfarin (Coumadin) and enoxaparin (Lovenox) or antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin, dipyridamole (Persantine) and clopidogrel (Plavix) as concurrent use may have an additive or synergistic effect.

Use in formula with Spleen tonics in deficient persons.