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The dried tuber of Pinellia ternata (Araceae). Enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung channels. Pungent and warm, it is the key herb for drying dampness and transforming phlegm and for directing rebellious qi downward to stop vomiting. Paired with chen pi it forms the core of Er Chen Tang, the foundational formula for phlegm patterns.
减毒，长于燥湿化痰
降逆止呕之功增强
燥性稍缓，偏于燥湿和胃
一般3–9g，炮制品如法半夏、姜半夏、清半夏用法略异。生半夏仅供外用，内服需严格炮制。
Reference range for non-pregnant adults. Not a personalized prescription. Pregnancy, lactation, and pediatric use require specialist supervision.
Documented interactions exist with the following Western drug classes. Click to view mechanism, severity, and clinical recommendations.
Contraindicated in pregnancy. Traditionally classified as a pregnancy-prohibited substance.
Limited lactation data; use only under qualified practitioner supervision.
Use with caution in children; strict dosage control required, use only processed forms.
Protective guidance only — when to avoid or use with caution. This block deliberately omits pregnancy, lactation, and pediatric dosing: any such use must be managed by a qualified TCM practitioner or appropriate specialist.
不宜与乌头类药物同用（十八反）。阴虚燥咳、血证、热痰及津伤口渴者禁服。
生半夏有毒，内服必须炮制。其毒性成分可致口舌麻木、咽喉肿胀。与川乌、草乌、附子相反，不可同用。孕妇慎用。误服生品中毒应以生姜汁、醋漱口及催吐处理。
味辛，平。主伤寒寒热，心下坚，下气，喉咽肿痛，头眩，胸张，咳逆，肠鸣，止汗。
下品
@misc{bencaodian-ban-xia,
author = {{Bencaodian Editorial}},
title = {Bàn Xià 半夏 (Pinellia Rhizome) — Pinelliae Rhizoma},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Bencao Dian: A Bilingual Knowledge Graph of Traditional Chinese Medicine},
url = {https://bencaodian.org/en/herbs/ban-xia},
urldate = {2026-04-17},
note = {CC BY-SA 4.0}
}© Bencaodian Editorial · Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
半夏生品含尿黑酸、刺激性凝集素及少量生物碱，具有强烈的口腔黏膜刺激性；经姜制、矾制或白矾煮制后毒性显著降低，保留其燥湿化痰、降逆止呕作用。
Raw Pinelliae Rhizoma contains homogentisic acid, irritant lectins, and trace alkaloids that cause severe oral mucosal irritation; toxicity is substantially reduced by ginger/alum processing, which preserves its phlegm-drying and antiemetic activity.
《中药学》（Bensky）强调半夏必须炮制使用，未经炮制的生半夏对口腔及消化道黏膜有强烈刺激作用，临床仅外用。
Bensky emphasizes that Pinellia must be processed before internal use; raw herb is severely irritating to oral and GI mucosa and is used only externally.
陈氏药理学指出半夏的抗呕吐作用已在临床试验中验证，且与其水提物对胃肠道5-HT3受体的影响有关。
Chen & Chen report that the antiemetic effect of Pinellia has been validated in clinical trials and is linked to 5-HT3 receptor modulation by aqueous extracts.
《草药禁忌》（Brinker）指出半夏传统与乌头反，并列入十八反；妊娠期使用应以姜半夏等炮制品为限，并由合格医师指导。
Brinker notes the traditional 'eighteen incompatibilities' prohibition against combining with Aconitum species, and that pregnancy use should be limited to processed forms under professional supervision.
This section is provided for academic reference only and does not constitute medical advice.