Shan Zhu Yu

Botanical Name: Corni Fructus

Shan Zhu Yu

Category: Stabilize & Bind

Taste: Sour

Temperature: Slightly Warm

Channels Entered: Kidney, Liver

Dosage: 6-12g

Key Characteristics: Augments the Liver and Kidneys, secures the primal qi, and prevents abandonment.

Cautions and Contraindications:

• Contraindicated in cases with urinary pain and difficulty, or where there is damp heat.

Actions and Indications:

• Stabilizes the Kidneys and secures the essence: for leakage of fluids due to weak essence with symptoms such as urinary frequency, incontinence, spermatorrhea, and excessive sweating.
• Stops excessive sweating and supports that which has collapsed: for excessive sweating, especially in cases of devastated yang and collapsed qi, as in shock. Also used when sweating was mistakenly induced as a treatment.
• Tonifies and aguments the Liver and Kidneys: for Liver and Kidney deficiency with such symptoms as lightheadedness, dizziness, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, or impotence. This herb both tonifies the essence and assists the yang.
• Stabilizes the menses and stops bleeding: for deficiency patterns of excessive uterine bleeding and prolonged menstruation. This has only a weak effect on the bleeding.