INDIVIDUAL HERBS

NAME: NU ZHEN ZI - 女真子 - FRUCTIS LIGUSTRI LUCIDI

Pharmaceutical Latin: Fructus Ligustri Lucidi
Common English: Ligustrum
Privet Fruit
Glossy Privet Berry

CATEGORY

Herbs that Tonify the Yin

PROPERTIES

Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Bitter
Sweet
Cool
(Neutral)
Kidney
Liver
4.5-18g
Tincture: 2-4ml

ACTIONS AND INDICATIONS

Actions Indications/Syndromes

Nourishes and tonifies Liver and Kidney Yin

Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiencies with dizziness, spots before the eyes, lower back soreness, premature graying of the hair and tinnitus

Clears Deficiency Heat

Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire Rising

Improves vision

Diminished visual acuity in those with Liver and Kidney Deficiency

CONTRAINDICATIONS, INCOMPATIBILITIES AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with Yang Deficiency.
  • Contraindicated for those with diarrhea due to Spleen Deficiency Cold.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
  • Use caution for those taking insulin, sulfonylureas and other antidiabetics such as tolbutamide (Orinase), glipizide (Glucotrol) and glyburide (DiaBeta/Micronase) as there may be a synergistic effect leading to hypoglycemia.

MAJOR COMBINATIONS

Rx. Polygoni Multiflori Preparata
Zhi He Shou Wu
Sm. Sesame Nigrum
Hei Zhi Ma

Sm. Astragali Complanati
Sha Yuan Ji Li

 

Cx. Lycii
Di Gu Pi
Cx. Moutan
Mu Dan Pi

Premature graying of hair.

Dizziness, tinnitus, and blurred vision due to Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiencies.

Immune problems.

Heat due to Yin Deficiency.

Hb. Artemisiae Annuae
Qing Hao
Spica Prunella
Xia Ku Cao
Cx. Lycii
Di Gu Pi

Fr. Psoraliae
Bu Gu Zhi
Sm. Cuscutae
Tu Si Zi

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Fr. Lycii
Gou Qi Zi

Tidal fevers associated with tuberculosis.

Dizziness and weakness and soreness of the lower back and extremities due to Kidney Yin Deficiency.

Diminished visual acuity due to Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency.

Hb. Ecliptae
Han Lian Cao

Hb. Ecliptae
Han Lian Cao
Rx. Polygoni Multiflori
He Shou Wu
Fr. Mori
Sang Shen
Sm. Sesame Nigrum
Hei Zhi Ma

Fr. Mori
Sang Shen
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Cx. Eucommiae
Du Zhong
Rz. Dioscoreae
Shan Yao
Hb. Ecliptae
Mo Han Lian

Strengthens the Yin to blacken the hair.

Prematurely gray hair.

Dizziness. tinnitus, loose teeth and soreness and weakness of the low back and knees.

Fr. Cannabis
Huo Ma Ren
Sm. Pruni
Yu Li Ren

Hb. Ecliptae
Han Lian Cao
Rx. Stellariae
Yin Chai Hu
Flos Albizziae
He Huan Hua
Fossilia Ossis Mastodi
Long Gu
Concha Ostreae
Mu Li

Cx. Lycii
Di Gu Pi
Cx. Moutan
Mu Dan Pi
Hb. Artemisiae Annuae
Qing Hao
Rx. Cynanchi Atrati
Bai Wei
Rz. Picrorhizae
Hu Huang Lian

Constipation.

Irritability and mood swings.

Hot flashes and steaming bone sensations.

Rx. Ophiopogonis
Mai Men Dong
Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rz. Anemarrhenae
Zhi Mu

Fr. Tritici Levis
Fu Xiao Mai
Fr. Schisandrae
Wu Wei Zi

Sm. Cassiae
Jue Ming Zi
Sp. Prunellae
Xia Ku Cao
Sm. Celosiae
Qing Xiang Zi

Thirst.

Night sweats.

Red and painful eyes due to Liver Yang Rising.

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Fr. Lycii
Gou Qi Zi
Sm. Cuscutae
Tu Si Zi
Fr. Rubi
Fu Pen Zi
Fr. Broussonetiae
Chu Shi Zi

 

 

Blurred vision from Deficiency.

 

 

NOTES

  1. This herb is an ancient Taoist longevity tonic.
  2. Large doses may cause diarrhea.
  3. It is common in treatments for immune Deficiency.
  4. Some sources say that this herb releases the bowels and lubricates the Intestines.
  5. This herb is used in treating various allergic and immune complex conditions.
  6. It is used to treat tuberculosis of the Lungs or lymph in patients with signs of Yin Deficiency.
  7. This herb is similar to Fr. Lycii Gou Qi Zi and Fr. Mori Sang Shen. Nu Zhen Zi nourishes Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency only. Gou Qi Zi treats Yin and Yang Deficiencies and Sang Shen treats Liver and Kidney Yin and Blood Deficiencies.
  8. Both Nu Zhen Zi and Hb. Ecliptae Mo Han Lian tonify Liver and Kidney Yin and treat symptoms of dizziness, tinnitus, vertigo premature graying of the hair and sore and weak low back and knees. Nu Zhen Zi also treats hot flashes and steaming bones from Deficiency Heat, while mo Han Lian more strongly cools the Blood to stop various kinds of bleeding.