Pinyin: Shenqu
Aliases
Liushenqu, Liuqu.
Source
A qu-eh made by mixing Polygoni Hydropiperis Herba (Laliao), Artemisiae Annuae Herba (Qinghao), and Armeniacae Semen Amarum (Xingren) with flour or bran, then allowing it to ferment.
Harvesting and Processing
Take fresh Laliaojiao (Polygonum hydropiper), Qinghao (Artemisia annua), and Cang'er Cao (Xanthium sibiricum), each 7 kg, chop and extract juice; Chi Xiao (Adzuki beans) and Xingren (almonds, peeled), each 4 kg, grind into powder. Take Fupi (wheat bran) 60 kg and Mianfen (wheat flour) 40 kg. Mix the bran and most of the flour with the above medicinal ingredients evenly. Reserve some flour, mix with boiling water to form a paste, then pour it into the combined medicinal mixture. Stir thoroughly with a wooden stick until it becomes sticky and forms a cake-like mass. Transfer to a wooden board, press flat to a thickness of about 1 cm, and cut into small squares of 3 cm. Sun-dry for 0.5 to 1 day, then gather and pile them in a large bamboo basket. Cover with jute bags, straw bags, or rice and wheat straw to allow fermentation. Once the surface produces mycelium, remove and sun-dry until finished.
Medicinal Properties
This product appears in square or rectangular blocks, approximately 3 cm in diameter and 1 cm thick, with a rough, earthy-yellow exterior. It is hard and brittle, breaking easily, with an uneven, off-white cross-section showing unmilled brown residues and fermentation cavities. It has a stale odor and a bitter taste. The best quality is characterized by being dry, aged, free from insect damage, and containing few impurities.
Chemical Constituents
Shenqu is a yeast preparation containing yeast, amylase, vitamin B complex, ergosterol, protein, fat, volatile oils, and other constituents.
Pharmacology
Has B-vitamin-like effects, such as increasing appetite and maintaining normal digestive function.
Properties and Channel Entry
Sweet, acrid, warm. Enters the Spleen and Stomach channels.
Functions and Indications
Promotes digestion and resolves accumulation, fortifies the Spleen and harmonizes the Stomach
Dosage and Administration
Internal: decoct 10-15 g; or prepare into pills or powder.
Precautions and Contraindications
Use with caution in cases of Spleen Yin deficiency, Stomach fire hyperactivity, and during pregnancy.
Prescriptions
1. For epigastric pain due to food accumulation: take one piece of aged Shenqu (medicated leaven), burn it red, quench it in two large bowls of wine, and drink the wine. (From "Zhai Xuan Fang") 2. For summer-heat induced sudden diarrhea and diarrhea due to improper diet, with chest and diaphragm stuffiness and distention: equal parts of Shenqu (stir-fried) and Cangzhu (soaked in rice-wash water, then baked dry). Grind into a fine powder, form into pills with water, the size of wutong seeds. Take 30 pills with rice-gruel water. (From "Bureau of Prescriptions," Quzhu Pills) 3. For diarrhea in adults and children, with abdominal pain or severe, unremitting diarrhea: Shenqu 6 g (stir-fried), Maiya 6 g (stir-fried), Xingren 4.5 g (peeled and tip removed). Add 1-2 teaspoons of genuine vegetable oil to the bottom of the pot, then place the herbs inside, add water, and simmer before taking. (From "Dian Nan Ben Cao") 4. For dysphagia (difficulty swallowing): Shenqu (stir-fried) 30 g, Jupi (tangerine peel) 60 g. Grind into a fine powder, mix with refined honey to form pills the size of chicken heads. Take one pill each time, hold in the mouth and swallow with saliva. (From "Quan Sheng Zhi Mi Fang," Shenqu Pills) 5. For low back pain due to sprain or contusion: take one piece of Shenqu, the size of a fist, burn it until red-hot, quench it in two large cups of good wine, and drink all the wine immediately. Lie on your back for a short while, and it will bring relief. (From "Shi Yi De Xiao Fang," Shenqu Wine) 6. For postpartum breast milk suppression: stir-fry Shenqu and grind it into powder. Take 6 g with wine, twice daily. (From "Gang Mu")
