She Chuang Zi (Common Cnidium Fruit)

Name

She Chuang Zi (Fructus Cnidii), from Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong's Herbal)

Source and quality

The mature fruit of the annual herb Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cuss. of the family Umbelliferae. It is produced mainly in Hebei, Shandong and Zhejiang provinces, and is collected in summer or autumn when the fruit ripens.

It has a distinctive aromatic odor and a pungent, cool taste that leaves the tongue feeling numb.

The best grade is yellowish green in color, and pungent and spicy to the smell when twisted, and the fruit is densely packed. It is used unprocessed.

Nature and action

Pungent, bitter and warm; slightly toxic. It enters the kidney meridian.

Used externally it dries dampness, kills parasites and relieves itching. Taken internally it warms the kidney and strengthens yang, dispels cold and dries dampness.

Indications

Eczema, scabies, tinea and itching of the skin

This herb is usually indicated externally for itching conditions, because it dries dampness, kills parasites and relieves itching. It can be decocted on its own for fumigating and washing, or combined with other herbs with similar actions to strengthen them.

• For eczema, it is often combined with Bai Fan and decocted for frequent washing, or made into a powder to mix with vaseline for external application.
• For itching due to scabies or ringworm, it is often made into a powder with Liu Huang and Qing Fen, then mixed with vegetable oil, or made into an ointment for external application.

Kidney yang deficiency syndrome

Used internally, it warms the kidney and uterus and strengthens yang, and so cures impotence.

• For impotence and cold sperm due to kidney deficiency, it is often combined with kidney-warming herbs to warm the kidney and strengthen yang. For instance, it is combined with Lu Rong, Rou Cong Rong and Fu Zi.
• For infertility due to coldness in the uterus, it is often combined with herbs that tonify the kidney and nourish essence, to warm the kidney and uterus. For instance, it is combined with Tu Si Zi and Wu Wei Zi.

Leukorrhagia and arthralgia due to cold-damp

This herb can both dispel cold and dry dampness, and warm the kidney and strengthen yang, so it is most suitable for leukorrhagia due to cold-damp, and for chronic cold-damp arthralgia accompanied by kidney yang deficiency.

• For leukorrhagia due to kidney deficiency and cold-damp, it is usually combined with herbs that tonify the kidney and expel dampness, such as Shan Zhu Yu, Wu Wei Zi and Che Qian Zi.
• For chronic arthralgia due to cold-damp accompanied by kidney deficiency, it is often combined with herbs that dispel wind and dampness, to warm the kidney and dispel cold and dampness and so relieve the arthralgia. For instance, it is combined with Yin Yang Huo and Wu Jia Pi.

Dosage and administration

Take a proper dose for external application: usually a decoction for fumigating and washing, or a powder for spreading. Take 3~9 g internally.