Zhi Zi
| Zhi Zi in TCM:Explore the properties of Zhi Zi according to Chinese
Nutrition and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM):
Factoids:
English Name: gardenia, cape jasmine fruit
Pharmacuetical Name: Fructus Gardeniae
Properties: bitter, cold
Temperature: cold
Channels: LU, ST, HT, LV, SJ
Flavors: bitter
Special Properties:
circulates blood, clears heat, clears damp, stops bleeding
Alternate Forms:
- sheng- to drain fire
- chao- to avoid nausea and vomiting
- chao tan- to stop bleeding
Actions / Indications:
- Drains Fire, Relieves irritability (restlessness,
irritability, delirious speech, stifling sensation in chest)
- Drains Damp Heat (damp heat in lower jiao with PUD;
jaundice, hepatitis, damp-heat in Liver/Gallbladder or middle jiao with
hypochonidria pain, jaundice; damp-heat in upper jiao in Gallbladder/San
Jiao channels of the face, nose, eyes, or sores of the mouth and face
region)
- Cools blood and stops bleeding (heat in blood level:
hematemesis, epistaxis, hematuria, hematochezia)
- Reduces Toxic Swelling (boils, carbuncles, swelling
due to trauma; apply topically or take internally)
- (cc: loose stool or loss of appetite due to deficient cold)
- (cooking: crush before decocting)
Special Notes:
- Charred Zhi Zi is generally best to stop bleeding, however if the
cause of bleeding is excessive heat driving blood out from the vessels
then unprepared Zhi Zi should be used since charred Zhi Zi loses most
of its function to clear heat when it is charred into ashes.
- Zhi Zi has a sedative effect and should not be combined with barbituates
or other sedatives.
- Zhi Zi drains heat from all 3 jiaos
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