Lithospermum, Gromwell, Zi Cao 紫草
Milium Solis, Grommel
Zi Cao (TCM)
Zi Cao (TCM)
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Greater and Lesser Gromwell
Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563
Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563
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Greater and Lesser Lithospermum
Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
Lithospermum officinale
Oeder, G.C., Flora Danica (1761-1861)
Oeder, G.C., Flora Danica (1761-1861)
Botanical name:
Lithospermum spp.
1. L. officinale
2. L. erythrorhizon (syn. Lithospermum officinale L. subsp. erythrorhizon) (TCM)
Parts used:
Seed; less commonly the leaf or root
Temperature & Taste:
Cool (TCM) / Mildy Warm (West), dry.
Classification:
B. Clears Heat, Cools the Blood
Lithospermum spp.
1. L. officinale
2. L. erythrorhizon (syn. Lithospermum officinale L. subsp. erythrorhizon) (TCM)
Parts used:
Seed; less commonly the leaf or root
Temperature & Taste:
Cool (TCM) / Mildy Warm (West), dry.
Classification:
B. Clears Heat, Cools the Blood
Uses:
1. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine, Clears Stones: (West, TCM)
-Edema, Dysuria, Strangury
-Gravel and Stones (Seed especially)
-also Back Pain and Arthritis
-Seed decocted in Wine is best for these functions
-this is a primary indication in the West, but is also used in TCM
2. Clears Heat, Resists Poison, Promotes Expression of Rashes: (West, TCM)
-Quotidian Fever
-Measles, Chicken Pox, Small Pox (TCM, West)
-also for Hepatitis
-this is a primary indication in TCM, but is also used in the West
3. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation: (West)
-Amenorrhea
-promotes Labor
-has been used as a contraceptive (inhibits gonadotropic hormones)
4. Clears Heat, Calms the Mind:
-more recently, Insomnia, Nervousness (Duke)
DOSE:
Of the Juice: 1–2 oz. were given in Wine.
Of the Seed in Powder: 1–3 grams;
-for Stones, 3 grams of the Powder in wine or emulsion of Cold Seeds.
-to promote Delivery in Labor, 4–6 grams of the Seed powder taken in Woman's Milk, White Wine or Parsley Water. (Salmon)
COMMENT:
1. TCM uses the root of a Gromwell species, L. erythrorhizon Zi Cao (which is regarded by some as a subspecies of L. officinale). It cools the Blood, clears Heat and Toxin and is primarily used to promote the expression of rashes such as Measles and Chicken Pox. It is also used for urinary dysfunction and Damp-Heat Leukorrhea. The Western and Eastern species are closely related and similar in appearance. The Western species is primarily used for Urinary disorders and the Chinese species for Skin rashes, but they are probably fairly synonymous.
2. Arnebia species are used as Zi Cao in some parts of China. They are also used in Tibetan Medicine (A. euchroma is called 'Bri mog འབྲི་མོག་, A. guttata is called 'Bri rdzud འབྲི་རྫུད་) where they are mainly used for bleeding from the Lungs and increase of 'unhealthy Blood'.
SUBSTITUTE (Alternate species):
Arnebia euchroma and A. guttata are used for Zi Cao in some parts of China.
Of the Juice: 1–2 oz. were given in Wine.
Of the Seed in Powder: 1–3 grams;
-for Stones, 3 grams of the Powder in wine or emulsion of Cold Seeds.
-to promote Delivery in Labor, 4–6 grams of the Seed powder taken in Woman's Milk, White Wine or Parsley Water. (Salmon)
COMMENT:
1. TCM uses the root of a Gromwell species, L. erythrorhizon Zi Cao (which is regarded by some as a subspecies of L. officinale). It cools the Blood, clears Heat and Toxin and is primarily used to promote the expression of rashes such as Measles and Chicken Pox. It is also used for urinary dysfunction and Damp-Heat Leukorrhea. The Western and Eastern species are closely related and similar in appearance. The Western species is primarily used for Urinary disorders and the Chinese species for Skin rashes, but they are probably fairly synonymous.
2. Arnebia species are used as Zi Cao in some parts of China. They are also used in Tibetan Medicine (A. euchroma is called 'Bri mog འབྲི་མོག་, A. guttata is called 'Bri rdzud འབྲི་རྫུད་) where they are mainly used for bleeding from the Lungs and increase of 'unhealthy Blood'.
SUBSTITUTE (Alternate species):
Arnebia euchroma and A. guttata are used for Zi Cao in some parts of China.
Main Combinations:
1. To promote Urine, and for Stones, Gromwell seed with the 4 Cold seeds, Parsley seed, Cinnamon and Licorice as in Electuary of Seeds
2. Arthritis and Rheumatism:
i. Gromwell seed with Turbith, Agaric, Ginger, Cassia Wood, Asparagus as in Pills for Arthritis (Nicholas)
3. Back Pain, Arthritis
i. Gromwell seed with Galangal, Zedoary, Celery seed, Asarum as in Decoction for Back Pain and Kidney Stones (Galen)
4. Measles, Skin rashes:'
i. to promote eruption of Skin Rashes, Lithospermum Zi Cao with Burdock seed (Niu Bang Zi), Peppermint (Bo He)
ii. Lithospermum Zi Cao with Forsythia Lian Qiao, Sophora Ku Shen
5. Hepatitis, Lithospermum Zi Cao, Paeonia Mu Dan Pi, Curcuma Yu Jin, Artemisia Yin Chen Hao
6. Gonorrhea, Gromwell seed (3 drams), Amber (1 dram), Ceterach (½ dram); Powder, take 1 dram doses with Juices of Plantain, Purslane, Lettuce (Salmon)
7. Neurodermatitis, cover Lithospermum Zi Cao with Sesame oil. Keep in a warm place for 2 weeks, the strain. Apply twice daily. The same may be dropped in for Prurulent Otitis media.
8. Burns, Lithospermum Zi Cao, Dang Gui (30 grams each), Beeswax (150 grams), Sesame oil (500 mls.). Cook the herbs in the oil until purple-red, strain, add beeswax and form an ointment.
Cautions:
1. Avoid overdose or long–term use. Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
2. Not used in those with loose stool (TCM)
3. Has an anti-fertility effect.
Main Preparations used:
Distilled Water of the Leaves
1. Avoid overdose or long–term use. Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
2. Not used in those with loose stool (TCM)
3. Has an anti-fertility effect.
Main Preparations used:
Distilled Water of the Leaves