White Mulberry Root Bark
The cool white root bark that purges Lung heat, stops wheezing, and gently drains water accumulation.
What Is White Mulberry Root Bark?
White Mulberry Root Bark (桑白皮, Sāng Bái Pí) is the dried root bark of Morus alba, the white mulberry tree cultivated extensively throughout China. Only the inner white bark is used medicinally — the outer brown cork layer is removed before drying. With a sweet, cold nature, Sāng Bái Pí enters the Lung channel to clear heat, descend Lung Qi, stop cough and wheezing, and promote urination to drain fluid retention from the Lungs.
Sāng Bái Pí's primary clinical role is the treatment of Lung heat patterns — cough with yellow phlegm, wheezing, and chest fullness. Its cooling, descending action is highly effective for heat-type asthma and productive cough. Additionally, it has a diuretic function that makes it useful for oedema and water accumulation, particularly when related to Lung dysfunction in distributing body fluids. The entire mulberry tree — leaves, fruit, branches, and root bark — is used medicinally, making Morus alba one of the most fully utilised plants in TCM.
History & Origin
White mulberry root bark has been used in Chinese medicine for over two thousand years, with the entire mulberry tree (Sāng) forming one of the most therapeutically rich single-plant families in the Chinese materia medica.
Traditional Uses
Lung Heat Cough & Asthma
Clears Lung heat and descends Lung Qi to treat productive cough with yellow-green phlegm, wheezing, and chest tightness.
Heat-Type Wheezing
A core ingredient in Xiè Bái Sǎn for Lung heat wheezing, reducing airway inflammation and restoring smooth respiratory Qi flow.
Oedema & Water Retention
Promotes urination and assists the Lung in distributing body fluids, helping reduce oedema and puffiness from Lung dysfunction.
Hypertension (TCM Heat Pattern)
Its cooling and descending action has led to use in formulas targeting Liver-Lung heat patterns contributing to elevated blood pressure.
Diabetic Thirst (Xiao Ke)
Traditional use for upper-burner thirst and heat associated with Xiao Ke (wasting and thirsting) disease, an early concept related to diabetes.
Bleeding from Lung Heat
Historically used to cool the blood and stop bleeding when Lung heat forces Blood to move recklessly, causing haemoptysis.
Health Benefits
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Clears Lung HeatEffectively purges accumulated heat from the Lung, reducing cough, phlegm production, and airway inflammation.
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Stops WheezingDescends rebellious Lung Qi to relieve wheezing and chest tightness in heat-pattern respiratory conditions.
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Promotes UrinationAssists the Lung in regulating water metabolism, reducing oedema and fluid accumulation in the body.
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Cooling & DescendingIts sweet, cold nature makes it ideal for excess Lung heat conditions requiring clearing without harsh, bitter purging.
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Full-Tree MedicinePart of the celebrated Sāng (mulberry) family of herbs — leaf, branch, fruit, and root bark — each addressing different aspects of Lung and Liver health.
The information on this page is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products.
