Cuscuta Semen, Dodder seed, Tu Si Zi 菟丝子

Tu Si Zi (TCM)
Kasoos (Unani)
Left: Dodder, Cuscuta ; Right: Dodder of Thyme, Epithymum
Kreutterbuch, Matthiolus, 1586

E. europea
British Phaenogamous Botany, Baxter, 1834
C. vulgaris (syn. C. epilinum)
Flora von Deutschland (16), Kohler, 1884
Botanical name:
Cuscuta spp.
European is supplied by C. europea, C. epithymum (syn. C. minor), C. vulgaris
Greater or Lesser types, as well as White and Red types were recognised.
It is a parasitic herb on Hops, Nettle and Flax, among others. That of Thyme was regarded as best and was called Epithymum. Schroder said the whole herb in flower was used, chiefly that from Flax.
The Chinese Dodder is C. chinensis (and others)

Parts used:
Seed

Temperature & Taste:
Neutral, Pungent and Sweet

Uses:
1. Tonifies Yin and Yang, Secures the Essence:
-Impotence, Nocturnal Emission, Premature Ejaculation
-Lower Back Pain
-Urinary frequency, Vaginal Discharge

2. Tonifies Liver and Kidneys, Settles Wind:
-Dizziness, Tinnitus
-Poor Vision, Spots in front of the Eyes

3. Strengthens the Spleen:
-Chronic Diarrhea or Loose stool from deficiency (Spleen, or Spleen and Kidney)

4. Calms the Fetus, Prevents Miscarriage:
-Threatened or Habitual Miscarriage
-Restlessness of the Fetus


DOSE:
6–15 grams in Decoction
2–5 grams in Powder

CORRECTIVES:
Tragacanth and Chicory

SUBSTITUTES:
1. The Barefoot Doctors Manual (Official Para-medical Manual of China) suggests that the herb and seed may be used interchangeably.

Main Combinations:
1. Spermatorrhea, Premature Ejaculation, Lower Back Pain, Cuscuta Tu Si Zi with Eucommia Du Zhong, Cornus Shan Zhu Yu and Velvet Deer Horn
2. Diarrhea or Loose Stool with Poor Appetite, combine Cuscuta Tu Si Zi with Poria Fu Ling, Dioscorea Shan Yao and Codonopsis Dang Shen.
3. Poor or Blurry Vision, Cuscuta Tu Si Zi with Lycium Gou Qi Zi ('Goji berries')
4. Menstrual irregularity, breast distention, premenstrual depression, depression from Qi stagnation and Kidney deficiency, Cuscuta Tu Si Zi with Paeonia Bai Shao, Dang Gui, Dioscorea Shan Yao, Bupleurum Chai Hu, Schizonopeta Jing Jie (as in Ding Jing Tang)
5. Threatened Miscarriage:
i. from Kidney deficiency Cuscuta Tu Si Zi with Loranthus Sang Ji Sheng (Mulberry Mistletoe) and Eucommia Du Zhong (as in An Tai Yin)
ii. from Qi and Blood deficiency, Cuscuta Tu Si Zi with Dang Gui, Astragalus Huang Qi
iii. from Kidney deficiency, Cuscuta Tu Si Zi with Dipsacus Xu Duan, Eucommia Du Zhong, Dang Gui, Lycium Gou Qi Zi, Atractylodes Bai Zhu (as in Bu Shen Gu Chong Wan)
6. Impotence, Cuscuta Tu Si Zi with Withania, Asparagus root, Pyrethrum, Nutmeg, Salep (Orchis), Saffron (Unani)
7. Sciatica, Dodder seed was combined with Sage (West)

Major Formulas:
Troches for Daily Fever (Galen)
You Gui Wan
An Tai Yin
Bao Chan Wu You Fang
Bu Shen Gu Chong Wan
Ding Jing Tang

Cautions:
Not used in Deficient Heat; full doses may cause Nausea.

Main Preparations used:
Distilled Water of the whole Plant
History
'Kushooth is the Arabic name for the Dodders, and from it have been derived tho Greek [?] and Latin Cuscuta of mediaeval writers.

An Arabian poet says:—
" He is like the Kashooth; for he has neither
root, leaves, fragrance, shade or fruit."

In the Indian bazars the name is applied to the fruit of a species of Cuscuta, imported from Persia, and also called Tukm-i-kasus; it is mixed with the small oblong leaves and spines of the plant upon which it has grown, and the flowers and portions of the stem may often be found. The seeds are four in number, light brown, convex
on one side, concave on the other, and enclosed in a nearly globular capsule about the size of a radish seed. The taste is bitter. Mir Muhammad Husain identifies this drug with the Amal-bel, Akus-bel, or Amarlata of India, and describes it as yellow, growing on thorns and other shrubs, and as having a very small, whitish flower, and seeds rather smaller than radish seeds, nearly round, and of a reddish yellow colour. Its proper ties are described as much the same as those of Aftimun. The plant may be either C. hyalina, Roth., C. chinensis, Lam., or C. planijlora, Tenore; possibly several species are collected. In India C. reflexa, Roxb., is sometimes used; it is a larger plant, and has larger fruit than the imported article." (Pharmacographia Indica, Dymock, 1891)