About This Herb*
Traditional Chinese Medicine background and properties
Herb Description*
Dì Gǔ Pí is the root bark of the wolfberry (goji) plant, used to clear lingering low-grade fevers, night sweats, and hot flushes caused by the body's cooling system running low. It also soothes lung-related coughs from internal heat and has been traditionally used for excessive thirst and high blood pressure.
Herb Category*
Main Actions*
- Nourishes Yin and Clears Deficiency Heat
- Clears Lung Heat and Drains Lung Fire
- Cools the Blood and Stops Bleeding
- Generates Fluids and Relieves Thirst
How These Actions Work*
'Cools the Blood and clears Deficiency Heat' is the primary action of Dì Gǔ Pí. 'Deficiency Heat' (also called 'steaming bone' fever) refers to a persistent, low-grade fever that worsens in the afternoon or at night, typically caused by depleted Yin failing to cool the body. This herb enters the Kidney and Liver channels to clear this deep-seated heat from the Yin layer. It is especially suited for chronic low-grade fevers, tidal fevers, night sweats, and a sensation of heat rising from the bones. A classical teaching distinguishes it from Mǔ Dān Pí (Moutan bark): Dì Gǔ Pí is traditionally associated with bone-steaming fever accompanied by sweating, while Mǔ Dān Pí is associated with bone-steaming without sweating, though in modern practice both are often combined.
'Clears Lung Heat and drains Lung Fire' refers to its ability to clear hidden or smouldering fire in the Lungs. When heat lodges in the Lungs, it disrupts the Lung's natural descending function, leading to coughing, wheezing, and sometimes blood-streaked sputum. Dì Gǔ Pí clears this Lung fire gently, without the harsh bitterness of herbs like Huáng Qín. It is the key partner to Sāng Bái Pí (Mulberry root bark) in Xiè Bái Sǎn, one of the most widely used formulas for Lung heat cough.
'Cools the Blood to stop bleeding' applies when heat in the Blood drives the Blood out of the vessels, causing nosebleeds, vomiting blood, blood in the urine, or coughing up blood. By cooling the Blood, this herb helps contain bleeding at its root cause.
'Generates fluids and treats thirst' is relevant to what TCM calls 'wasting-thirst' (消渴 xiāo kě), a condition characterized by excessive thirst and frequent urination that maps closely onto diabetes. By clearing internal heat and preserving Yin fluids, Dì Gǔ Pí addresses both the heat and the dryness driving these symptoms.
Patterns Addressed*
In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony that reveal what's out of balance in the body. Di Gu Pi is traditionally associated with these specific patterns.
The following describes this herb's classification within Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and is provided for educational purposes only.
Why Di Gu Pi addresses this pattern
In Yin Deficiency with Empty Heat, the body's cooling, moistening Yin substance is depleted, allowing internal heat to flare unchecked. This produces the hallmark 'steaming bone' tidal fever, night sweats, and a sensation of heat radiating from the core. Dì Gǔ Pí is cold and sweet, entering the Kidney and Liver channels where Yin Deficiency heat originates. Its cold nature directly counters the pathological heat, while its sweet and bland taste avoids damaging already depleted fluids. Unlike bitter-cold herbs that can be too harsh for a deficient constitution, Dì Gǔ Pí clears the deficiency fire gently, making it one of the most important herbs in this pattern.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Night sweats that soak bedclothes
Afternoon or evening low-grade fevers
Heat in palms, soles, and chest
Dry mouth with desire to drink
Why Di Gu Pi addresses this pattern
When fire lodges in the Lungs, it disrupts the Lung's natural descending and purifying function, producing cough, wheezing, and sometimes bloody sputum. Dì Gǔ Pí enters the Lung channel and clears Lung fire from within, described classically as clearing 'hidden fire' (伏火) rather than acute, blazing heat. Its gentle, sweet-cold nature is well suited to the Lungs, which are considered a delicate organ that does not tolerate harsh cold or bitter herbs well. It works particularly well when this Lung heat has an underlying Yin deficiency component, making the cough dry or producing scant, blood-tinged phlegm.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Cough with wheezing from Lung heat
Coughing up blood-streaked sputum
Skin feels hot, worse in the afternoon
Why Di Gu Pi addresses this pattern
When excessive heat enters the Blood level, it agitates the Blood and forces it out of the vessels, causing various forms of bleeding. Dì Gǔ Pí enters the Blood level through the Liver channel and cools the Blood directly, helping to contain bleeding that arises from heat rather than from trauma or Qi deficiency. It is used for nosebleeds, vomiting blood, blood in the urine, and uterine bleeding when these are driven by internal heat. It is generally combined with other Blood-cooling or hemostatic herbs for best effect.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Nosebleeds from Blood Heat
Blood in the urine
Vomiting blood
TCM Properties*
Cold
Sweet (甘 gān), Bland (淡 dàn)
Bark (皮 pí / 树皮 shù pí)
This is partial information on the herb's TCM properties. More detailed information is available on the herb's dedicated page
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.