Ban Xia (Fa)

PINELLIAE RHIZOMA PRAEPARATUM (法半夏, Fabanxia) Prepared Pinellia Tuber Prepared Pinellia Tuber is processed from Pinelliae Rhizoma. Procedure Grade Pinelliae Rhizoma according to size. Soak in water until no dry core remains. Remove and drain. Decoct an appropriate quantity of Liquorice twice with water. Combine the decoctions. Pour them into lime solution prepared with an appropriate amount of water. Mix thoroughly. Add the soaked Pinelliae Rhizoma. Soak, stirring 1–2 times daily. Maintain the soaking solution at pH > 12 until the cut surface becomes uniformly yellow and only slightly numbing. Remove. Wash thoroughly. Dry in the shade or by baking. For every 100 kg of Pinelliae Rhizoma, use: Liquorice — 15 kg Quicklime — 10 kg Description Subspheroidal or broken into irregular granules. Outer surface pale yellowish-white, yellow, or brownish-yellow. Texture relatively loose and soft, or hard and brittle. Fracture yellow to pale greyish-yellow. Odour slight. Taste slightly sweet and slightly numbing. Identification (1) Powder pale yellow to yellow. Complies with Identification (1) under Pinelliae Rhizoma. (2) To 2 g of the powder add 2 mL hydrochloric acid and 20 mL chloroform. Heat under reflux for 1 hour. Cool and filter. Evaporate the filtrate to dryness. Dissolve the residue in 0.5 mL absolute ethanol as the test solution. Prepare the reference drug solution in the same manner. Dissolve Glycyrrhetinic Acid CRS in absolute ethanol to prepare 1 mg/mL. Carry out TLC (0502) using silica gel GF254 and petroleum ether (30–60°C) : ethyl acetate : acetone : formic acid (30:6:5:0.5). Develop and examine under UV 254 nm. The bands correspond to both the reference drug solution and the reference solution. Water Not more than 13.0%. Total Ash Not more than 9.0%. Extractives Water-soluble extractives, Cold Maceration Method. Not less than 5.0%. Property and Flavor Warm; pungent. Meridian Tropism Spleen, Stomach, and Lung meridians. Actions To dry dampness and resolve phlegm. Indications Cough and wheezing with profuse sputum, dizziness and palpitations caused by retention of phlegm-fluid, dizziness due to wind-phlegm, phlegm syncope, and headache. Administration and Dosage 3–9 g. Precautions and Warnings Incompatible with: Aconiti Radix Aconiti Radix Cocta Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix Cocta Aconiti Radix Lateralis Praeparata Storage As described under Pinelliae Rhizoma.