Herb module

Mai Men Dong

Ophiopogon TuberOphiopogon japonicus

A small, juicy root tuber used to moisten dry Lungs, restore Fluids, and settle an irritable, overheated Heart.

★ Chief herb in Hydration · NeróAlso inLung Meridian

Mai Men Dong is the swollen tuber of a grass-like plant, and in Traditional Chinese Medicine it is one of the classic herbs for moistening what has become dry. It appears in Zoi's Hydration | Neró™ and Lung Meridian™ formulas, where it is used to nourish Yin, generate Fluids, and bring moisture back to the Lungs and Stomach. It also has a calming side and is traditionally used to clear the Heart and ease irritability.

Best functions

Moistens the Lungs and is traditionally used to stop cough
Nourishes Yin and generates Fluids throughout the body
Nourishes Stomach Yin and moistens the Intestines
Clears the Heart and eases irritability
Research has looked at its polysaccharides and their effect on immune cell activity

Fascinating facts

The plant is better known to gardeners as mondo grass, a low, evergreen groundcover with narrow, grass-like leaves that is planted along paths and under trees.
The part used in medicine is a small, plump tuber that forms along the plant's roots, almost like beads strung on a thread.
Noa's notes remember Mai Men Dong as "the ophiopogon that moistens," a core herb among the Yin tonics of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Zoi's Lung Meridian™ sheet notes that Ophiopogon is among the formula herbs that research suggests have strong calming action on inflammation specific to the respiratory tract.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine

Mai Men Dong is cool in nature, with a sweet and bitter flavor, and enters the Heart, Lung, and Stomach channels. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is considered a tonic herb.

Go deeperDownload the fact sheet on the Hydration · Neró page

Biomedical deep dive

Mai Men Dong Ophiopogon Tuber

From the Zoi Medicinals fact sheets’ Biomedical Details, with lines from Noa’s herb notes marked “Noa’s notes”.

On the fact sheet

Mai Men Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber, Ophiopogon japonicas) is cool and enters the HT, LU, and ST meridians; moistens the Lungs, nourishes Yin, stops cough, nourishes Stomach Yin, generates Fluids, moistens Intestines, clears Heart and eliminates irritability. Hydration | Neró · Lung Meridian sheets

Key active constituents

The fact sheets don’t name constituents for this herb.

Pharmacology and mechanisms

Ophiopogon shows strong anti-inflammatory action specific to the respiratory tract, according to the Lung Meridian sheet.
Ophiopogon has been shown to have immunomodulating (immune-balancing) properties.
Steroidal saponins (plant compounds) are anti-inflammatory and heart-protective, and reduce myocardial ischemia (low blood flow to the heart muscle). Noa’s notes
Immunomodulatory: its polysaccharides activate macrophages and B-lymphocytes (immune cells). Noa’s notes
Anti-diabetic in animal studies: improves islet-cell function and insulin secretion. Noa’s notes

What the research says

A recent human study looked at ophiopogon, alone and in formulas, for Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune condition that causes dryness (Chang et al., Sci Rep 2015).
The Lung Meridian sheet cites a review of Ophiopogon japonicus chemistry, traditional use and pharmacology for its immune effects (Chen et al., J Ethnopharmacol 2016).

Safety, interactions and cautions

Every Zoi fact sheet: do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding unless directed by your health care practitioner.
Avoid in Cold-Phlegm conditions, Spleen deficiency with loose stools, or Damp and Phlegm build-up with a thick greasy tongue coat (Traditional Chinese Medicine terms). Noa’s notes

In these Zoi formulas

★ Hydration | Neró (#2 on the fact sheet)
Lung Meridian (#13 on the fact sheet)

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.