INDIVIDUAL HERBS

NAME: ZI ZHU - 紫珠 - FOLIUM CALICARPAE FORMOSANAE

Pharmaceutical Latin: Folium Calicarpae Formosanae
Common English: Beauty-berry Leaf
Calicarpa Leaf

CATEGORY

Herbs that Regulate the Blood: Herbs that Stop Bleeding

PROPERTIES

Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Bitter
Astringent
Cool
Liver
Lung
Stomach
6-20g
Tincture: 2-5ml

ACTIONS AND INDICATIONS

Actions Indications/Syndromes

Retains Blood and stops bleeding

Internal and External bleeding

Resolves toxicity and treats burns and sores

Toxic swellings from burns or sores

Often used topically

CONTRAINDICATIONS, INCOMPATIBILITIES AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Use caution for those with bleeding from Deficiency and Cold below.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

MAJOR COMBINATIONS

Hb. Agrimoniae
Xian He Cao
Hb. Ecliptae
Mo Han Lian
(Rx. Rubiae)
(Qian Cao Gen)

Hb. Lysimachiae
Jin Qian Cao

Rz. et Rz. Rhei
Da Huang
Cx. Phellodendri
Huang Bai
Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin

Hematemesis, hemoptysis, epistaxis, hematuria, and hemafecia

Bloody urine due to stones

As a powder to prevent infection and accelerate healing of first or second degree burns

Flos Lonicerae
Jin Yin Hua
Hb. Taraxaci
Pu Gong Ying

Egg whites

 

Swollen abscesses or toxic sores

Hemoptysis

Epistaxis

 

NOTES

  • This herb is considered especially useful for bleeding from the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts.
  • It is also said to dispel Blood Stasis and help the regrowth of skin.
  • It can be used alone, crushed fresh or powdered topically for bleeding caused by External injuries or incessant bleeding from a tooth extraction.
  • In can be used alone in decoction for burns, sore throat, redness and eye pain..
  • Zi Zhu, Rz. Bletillae Bai Ji, and Hb. Agrimoniae Xian He Cao all restrain and inhibit bleeding.Bai Ji is the strongest, Xian He Cao is next, and Zi Zhu is the weakest. In terms of cooling Heat, Zi Zhu is the strongest, Bai Ji is next and Xian He Cao is the weakest.
  • Both Zi Zhu and Rx. Rubiae Qian Cao Gen cool the Blood and stop bleeding. Qian Cao Gen also invigorates the Blood, unblocks the collaterals and is better for bleeding associated with Blood Stasis and Heat in the Blood. Zi Zhu is astringent, resolves toxicity and treats sores.