Usnea (Pine Lichen)
Overview
Usnea is a thread-like lichen that hangs from pine branches, absorbing nutrients from its host tree — a growth habit the Donguibogam records directly, giving it the alternate name 'female vine' (女蘿). The text notes a striking quality rule: only lichen actually found growing on pine was considered genuine medicine. Its recorded actions center on resolving stubborn phlegm-heat from the chest and calming the mind toward sleep.
In the Donguibogam
寶鑑
Traditional uses recorded in the Donguibogam
- Resolves chest phlegm-heat
- Benefits urination
- Resolves neck swellings (goiter-type)
- Calms the mind, aids sleep
Traditional applications recorded in the classical text
- Cold-heat malarial-type fever pattern
- Phlegm congestion in the chest
- Neck swellings and goiter-type lumps
- Irritability and sleeplessness from pent-up qi
Traditional preparation
Harvested in the 5th lunar month and dried in the shade; only lichen found growing on pine was accepted as genuine.
This describes traditional preparation recorded in the classics, not a recommendation for use today. DonguiHub does not provide dosage guidance — consult a qualified professional before using any herb.
Cautions
Frequently asked questions
Is Usnea the same herb as 'songdam'?
No — these are two distinct medicinal materials, even though both are folk-associated with pine trees. Usnea (松蘿) is a lichen, a fungus-algae symbiont that grows draped on pine branches; songdam refers to a different plant and is not the same entry recorded here.
Why did the Donguibogam insist it must grow on pine specifically?
The text states plainly that only lichen found actually growing on a pine tree was considered genuine medicine — material gathered from other host trees was not accepted, a quality rule tied directly to the plant's parasitic relationship with pine.
Sources
- 『동의보감』 탕액편, 허준, 1613 (원문) — 한문 원문
- 한의학고전DB (mediclassics.kr) — 원문 및 국역 자료 참조