Medicated leaven (Shenqu)
Pharmaceutical Name: Massa fermentata medicinalis
Common Name: Medicated leaven
Source of Earliest Record: Yaoxing Lun
Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: Medicated leaven is a fermented mixture of wheat flour, bran and the fresh aerial parts of Armented annua, Xanthium sibixicum, Polygonum hydropiper and other herbs.
Properties & Taste: Sweet, pungent and warm
Meridians: Spleen and stomach
Functions: To eliminate food retention and harmonize the stomach
Indications & Combinations: Retention of food manifested as epigastric and abdominal distension and fullness, no
appetite, gurgling sound and diarrhea. Medicated leaven (Shenqu) is used with Hawthorn fruit (Shanzha) and Germinated barley (Maiya).
Dosage: 6-15 g