Shou Wu (Tuber Fleeceflower Root)

Name

He Shou Wu (Radix Polygoni Multiflori), from Kai Bao Ben Cao (Materia Medica of the Kai-Bao Reign)

Source and quality

The root tuber of the perennial twining plant Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. of the family Knotweed. It is produced in the Henan, Hubei and Guangxi provinces of China, and is plucked in late autumn.

It has a slight odor and is slightly bitter, sweet and astringent. The best grade is heavy and firm, and rich in powder. It is used unprocessed or steamed.

Nature and action

Bitter, sweet and astringent, and slightly warm. It enters the kidney and liver meridians.

It tonifies blood, supplements essence, checks malaria, relieves toxicity, and moistens the intestines.

Indications

Blood and essence deficiency syndrome

Being mild in nature, neither dry nor greasy, and having the actions of tonifying blood and supplementing essence, it is a good tonic. For blood and essence deficiency with vertigo and tinnitus, soreness and flaccidity of the lumbar region and knees, and premature graying of the beard and hair, it is combined with other herbs that nourish the liver and kidney and tonify blood and essence, such as Gou Qi Zi, Tu Si Zi and Dang Gui in Qibao Meiran Dan from Ji Shan Tang Jing Yan Fang (Experiential Prescriptions from the Jishan Clinic).

Chronic malaria

It is especially indicated for chronic malaria of both the qi and blood deficiency type, because both raw and stir-baked He Shou Wu can check malaria. Furthermore, it can tonify blood to improve the deficiency: Ren Shen and Dang Gui in He Ren Yin from Jing Yue Quan Shu.

Ulcers and tuberculosis

Raw Shou Wu is indicated for ulcers and tuberculosis, because it can relieve toxicity and dissipate nodulation; in addition, it also relieves itching.

• For swelling and pain due to ulcers, it is usually combined with herbs that eliminate phlegm and herbs that clear heat-toxin, such as Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao and Ku Shen in He Shou Wu Tang from Yang Yi Da Quan (A Complete Handbook on Traumato-Orthopedics).
• For tuberculosis, it is usually combined with herbs that eliminate phlegm, relieve toxicity and dissipate nodulation, such as Xia Ku Cao and Chuan Bei Mu from Ben Cao Hui Yan (Supplement Materia Medica).
• For swelling, itching and pain due to ulcers, it is usually combined with herbs that clear heat, dry dampness, disperse wind and relieve itching, such as Ku Shen, Fang Feng and Bo He in He Shou Wu San from Wai Ke Jin Yi (Essence Argument of External Medicine).

Constipation due to intestinal dryness

Sheng Shou Wu can smooth the stool by moistening the intestines and tonifying deficiency. For constipation due to blood deficiency with intestinal dryness, it can be used on its own or combined with herbs that nourish blood and smooth the stool, such as Huo Ma Ren and Dang Gui.

Dosage and administration

Decoct 10~30 g. Stir-baked for tonifying blood and essence; the raw herb for checking malaria, relieving toxicity, moistening the intestines and smoothing the stool.

Cautions

Stir-baked Shou Wu is contraindicated in accumulated damp-phlegm, because of its astringent nature and its strongly tonifying action. Raw He Shou Wu is contraindicated in loose stool, because it can smooth the stool.