WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

  This medicinal is dried ripe seed of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. (Fam.Convolvulaceae). The above-ground parts are excavated in autumn when the fruits are ripe and dried by natural sunlight and thrashed for seeds. It is used in its unprocessed form. Also it is pound into cake for use after being steamed.

[ Medicinal Properties ]: Sweet, warm; relate to liver, kidney and spleen meridians.

[ Medicinal Efficacies ]: Tonify kidney and replenish essence; nourish liver to improve vision; stop diarrhea and prevent abortion.

[ Clinical Applications ]: 1. Kidney insufficiency with lumbago, impotence, spermatorrhea and frequent urination, sterility due to cold uterus     It is moderate in tonifying yin and yang. For lumbago due to kidney insufficiency, it is combined with Duzhong and Shangyao and Processed into pills. For impotence and spermatorrhea, it is combined with Gouqizi, Fupenzi and Cheqianzi, as in the Wuzi Yanzong Pills. In cases of frequent urinaqtion or urinary incontinence, it is prescribed with Sangpiaoxiao, Roucongrong and Lurong, as in the Tusizi Pills, to treat spermatorrhea, whitish turbid urine and dribbling urination.

2. Insufficiency of liver and  kidney, dim and blurred  vision    In this case , it is used in combination with Shudihuang and kidney, dim and blurred vision    In this case, it is used in combination with Shudihuang and Cheqianzi, as in the Zhujing Pills.

3. Deficiency of spleen and kidney yang, diarrhea      For  diarrhea due to spleen insufficiency, it is processed into pills in combination with Renshen and Baizhu; for that due to insufficiency of spleen and kidney, it is combined with Gouqizi and Shanyao.

4. Kidney insufficiency with threatened abortion and habitual abortion    In this case, it is prescribed with Xuduan and Sangjisheng, as in the Shoutai Pills.

Furthermore, it is able to treat Xiaoke (similar to diabetes)due to kidney insufficiency. In this case, it is ground into powder by itself and processed into honey bolus for oral adminstration.

[ Usage and Dosage ]: 10-20g.

[ Precautions ]: This medicinal is a moderate tonic, but more powderful to tonify yang. therefore, it is not recommended for yin deficiency with effulgent fire, constipation, scanty and brownish urine.

菟丝子为旋花科植物菟丝子Ｃuscuta chinensis Lam．或大菟丝子Ｃ.japonicaChoisy的成熟种子。我国大部分地区均有分布。秋季果实成熟时割取地上部分，晒干，打下种子。生用，或煮熟捣烂作饼用。