Plantaginis aquatica, Water Plantain, Ze Xie 泽泻

Ze Xie (TCM)

New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563

Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599

Botanische wandplaten (1904–1914)

Flora von Deutschland, Kohler, 1886

Water Plantain root Ze Xie on the Chinese market (Adam, 2017)

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Botanical name:
Alisma plantago; A. orientalis is used in TCM

Parts used:
Root

Temperature & Taste:
Cool, neutral in respect of dry/moist (Salmon). Sweet

Uses:
1. Promotes Urine, Clears Heat and Damp:
-Edema;
-also scanty, difficult, painful or dribbling Urine;
-acute and chronic Urinary Tract Infections;
-Diarrhea, Dysentery etc.
-Also for Jaundice associated with Damp.
-Galen used it for Stones.

2. Promotes Urine, Protects the Yin:
-an important diuretic in TCM, as it is said to be able to clear damp from the body without damaging the Yin (Body moisture).
-traditionally for Diabetes-like disorders

3. Benefits the Kidneys, Clears Deficient Heat:
-symptoms include a red, dry tongue with no coating, a faint and fast pulse; maybe Dizziness, Tinnitus, and Insomnia etc. (TCM);
-It is also used for chronic Kidney disorders such as Nephritis.

4. Promotes Menstruation:
-the Root promotes Menstruation; used for Uterine disease and Hysteria (Dioscorides)
-the Rhizome has been said old TCM texts to stimulate the female genitalia.
-used in TCM for Leukorrhea.
    
5. Clears Heat, Resists Poison:
-Dioscorides listed it for ‘such as have eaten a Sea Hare, and those which are bitten of a Toad and such as have drank Opium’.

6. Stops Bleeding:
-seed has been used for fluxes, dysentery; also spitting of blood, and excessive menstruation.

DOSE:
Of the Powder: 1–3 gra,s
In Decoction:

Main Combinations:
1. Dysentery, Water Plantain root with Carrot seed (Dioscorides)
2. Nocturnal Enuresis, Water Plantain root with St. Johns wort
3. Edema with painful or obstructed Urine, Water Plantain root (Ze Xie) with Plantain seed (TCM)
4. Bleeding from the Stomach or Bowels, Water Plantain leaf, Marshmallow, Comfrey root, Plantain leaf, Water Agrimony leaf (The Medical Herbalist)
5. Nervous disorders, Water Plantain leaf, Plantain, Motherwort, Southernwood, Valerian (The Medical Herbalist)
6. Kidney Yin deficiency, Water Plantain root (Ze Xie), with Rehmannia Shu Di, Dioscorea Shan Yao, Cornus Shan Zhu Yu, Poria Fu Ling, Paeonia Mu Dan Pi (as in Liu Wei Di Huang Wan of TCM.

Major Formulas:
Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan


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Cautions:
Generally Safe.
Not used for Spermatorrhea or Leukorrhea from cold and damp (unless corrected)

Main Preparations used: