Ledebouriella
Ledebouriella (Fang Feng)
Botanical Name: Ledebouriella divaricata, L. seseloides, Saposhnikovia divaricata
Ledebouriella root is a prized herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine, used for hundreds of years to help heal painful diarrhea, sore throats, headaches, chills, and fevers associated with colds. It also treats tremors and painful, swollen joints, and arthritis. Ledebouriella is known by three botanical names: Ledebouriella divaricata, L. seseloides, and Saposhnikovia divaricata. These are not different species, but different botanical names for the same plant.
Watch a short video, from Ann Christensen, Founder and Creator of White Rabbit Institute of Healing™ – Ledebouriella Compared To Other Expelling Herbs…
Remember to check with your doctor before trying new medicines or herbal remedies, especially if you are taking other medication where drug interactions are possible.
Below is an overview of ledebouriella, combining the best of Western Science, Oriental Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Shamanism, Folklore, and a wide range of healing modalities. Gain a balanced and thorough understanding of the healing properties of ledebouriella.
How to take FULL advantage of Ledebouriella's healing powers...
JOIN ME in an exploration of the healing herb, Ledebouriella (Fang Feng). Dive deep into the benefits and applications of Ledebouriella, from Eastern and Western perspectives, and so much more!
Western
Western Name: Ledebouriella
Also Known As: Siler Root (Saposhnikovia divaricata)
Organs/Systems: Respiratory System, Skin, Muscular/Skeletal
Key Actions: Anti-inflammatory, Antipyretic, Antiseptic, Diaphoretic, Carminative, Antitoxin, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antibacterial, Antimicrobial
Medicinal Uses: Colds and flu, joint pain, arthritis, muscle spasms, influenza, fevers, headaches, chills, muscle aches, diarrhea.
Eastern
Pin Yin: Fang Feng (translates as Prevention Wind or Guard Against the Wind)
Also Known As: Ping Feng, Saposhnikovia divaricata (Siler Root)
Meridians: Bladder, Liver, Spleen
Key Actions: Releases to the Exterior, Expels Cold, Clears Wind Damp, Reduces Pain, Stops Spasms
Medicinal Uses: Arthritis, inflammation, headaches, migraines, stiff neck, toothaches, colds, fevers, chills, muscle aches, sore throats, stiff neck, convulsions, tremors, tetanus, lockjaw, painful diarrhea with blood, constipation, difficulty urinating, delirium, hallucinations, shock, rashes, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, antidote for arsenic poisoning.
Basic Habitat/Botany:
Ledebouriella is an herbaceous perennial cone-shaped plant, belonging to the family Umbelliferae, a family of aromatic flowering plants, that include the carrot family. It can grow to be 6 to 12 inches tall. It is gray, dotted with raised scars, and wrinkles. The bark is brownish and cracked. The roots are yellowish in color.
Ledebouriella is native to China, Russia, Korea, and Japan. It is now cultivated in the Heilong province of Northeast China. It likes desert slopes and dry steppes.
Parts Most Frequently Used: Root, Leaf, Flower, Seed
Flavors/Temps: Sweet, Pungent, Slightly Warm
Caution: Considered safe. Traditionally, ledebouriella is not used with ginger (Zingiberis officinalis), black false hellebore (Veratrum nigrum), or dioscorea (Dioscorea hypoglauca). It is also generally not recommended for those with Parkinson’s disease.
Key Constituents: Anomalin, Furocoumarins, Polyacetylenes, Hyperosides, Terpenes, Phenolic compounds, Mannitol
History/Folklore: Ledebouriella is an herb that has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years. Beyond its ability to treat cold symptoms such as sore throats, fevers, and aching muscles, the herb’s sweet and pungent tastes associate it with disorders identified in TCM as affecting the Liver and Spleen Systems. It is considered excellent at Expelling Wind and Damp which are identified as External Pathogenic Factors in TCM. It Clears Wind, which can, in turn, induce sweating, helping to treat cold symptoms. Studies have shown that a single dose can lower fevers for up to 2 hours.
Ledebouriella can also be used externally to treat itching and inflamed skin. It is used for treating eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. It can also be used in formulas to help treat German measles.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, ledebouriella is considered a mild antipyretic with a primary function of Dispersing Wind. Combined with astragalus, it helps to build immunity and Qi (Energy).
Comparatively, ledebouriella is said to penetrate more deeply than Jing Jie (Schizonepeta tenuifolia), which tends to treat ailments that remain at the skin level. Ledebouriella reaches the muscles and tendons, and the herb Qiang Huo (Notopterygium) is said to penetrate more deeply than ledebouriella, to the bones and tendons. Ledebouriella is considered less drying than other expelling herbs. It is, in fact, considered to be the most moistening of the Clear Wind or Release to the Exterior herbs.
This herb contains polysaccharides more potent than those found in green tea. These antioxidants prevent free radicals from damaging DNA and causing disease.
Ledebouriella is typically used in combination with other herbs. For example, it blends well with ligusticum (Chuan Xiang) and angelica to help build immunity. A famous cold remedy, called Yin Chiao, includes ledebouriella and other herbal ingredients known for treating colds at the early stages of invasion.
Good quality is coarse, strong, with a tight, thin cortex. The cross sections will have brown rings around a light yellow center.
The seeds are used commercially to make an essential oil for lotions and skin products to treat itchy, red, inflamed skin conditions and dermatitis.
The young leaves are edible raw or cooked. Where the plant is found in the wild, the young leaves and flowers are boiled to make a tea to treat cold and flu symptoms.
Tetanus
Shock
Pickled
Pickled Ledebouriella seseloides is popular in Korea.
How to use Ledebouriella (Fang Feng) and take FULL advantage of it's healing powers!
Find out how to safely use this powerful herb and get specific recipes you can make use of immediately. Dive deep into Eastern and Western perspectives about HOW and WHY this herb works. Includes uses, benefits, essential oils, gardening tips, and much, much more.
Disclosure: If you purchase from some links on this web page, we may receive some kind of affiliate commission. However, we only ever mention products we would recommend whether we were being compensated or not. Thank you so much for your support of White Rabbit Institute of Healing!
