Portulaca, Purslane, Ma Chi Xian 马齿苋

Kulfa (Ayurveda)
Kharfah, Kulfa (Unani)
Ma Chi Xian (TCM)

Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563

Thomé, Flora von Deutschland Österreich und der Schweiz, 1885

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Botanical name:
Portulaca oleracea
Two types were differentiated: Garden with Broad leaves (best); Wild with Narrow leaves

Parts used:
Leaf, Seed

Temperature & Taste:
Very Cool, dry. Sour

Classifications:
2N. REPELLENT.    2O. ASTRINGENT.    2P. HEMOSTATIC
3B. FEBRIFUGE & ANTIPYRETIC.    3Q. ANTHELMINTIC
4a. CEPHALIC.    4e. STOMACHIC.     4f. SPLENETIC.    4g. HEPATIC.    4h. NEPHRITIC.    4i. UTERINE

Uses:
1. Clears Heat and Toxin (TCM, West, Ayurveda):
-Fever

2. Calms the Mind, Eases Pain:
-cools the body and promote rest when there is excess heat

3. Clears Heat of the Liver and Stomach (TCM, West, Ayurveda):
-headache, red eyes, irritability, constipation, heat-type pain, insomnia

4. Clears Deficient Heat, Nourishes the Fluids (TCM, West, Ayurveda):

5. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine:
-hot, sharp and painful urination.

6. Clears Heat, Stops Coughs:
-dry coughs, shortness of Breath;

7. Cools the Blood, Stops Bleeding:

8. Kills Worms:

9. Externally:
-applied Acne and heat type skin conditions
-hot, poisonous Sores and Carbuncles (TCM)

Dose:
Fresh Herb is eaten as a vegetable
Dried Herb in Decoction: 6–20 grams (fresh herb 20–60 grams or more)

Correctives:
... available in PRO version

Substitutes:
... available in PRO version

Main Combinations:
1. To clear Heat from the Stomach and Liver, cool the Blood and promote rest, Purslane seed ... available in PRO version
2. High Fever:
i. Purslane seed with ... available in PRO version
ii. Purslane seed with ... available in PRO version
3. Strong Heat, Purslane seed with ... available in PRO version
4. Blood Heat, Purslane with ... available in PRO version
5. Excess Menstruation and internal Bruising, Purslane  ... available in PRO version
6. Hematuria, Purslane with ... available in PRO version
7. Burning Urine, Purslane with ... available in PRO version
8. Kidney Ulcers, Purslane with ... available in PRO version
9. Diabetes from Heat, Purslane with  ... available in PRO version
10. Abscess of Ulcer of the Bladder, Purslane with ... available in PRO version
11. Bleeding during Pregnancy, Purslane with ... available in PRO version
12. Threatened Miscarriage, Purslane with ... available in PRO version
13. To promote Sleep, Purslane with  ... available in PRO version
14. Internal Abscess, Purslane with  ... available in PRO version

Major Formulas:
Decoction of Fruit
Decoction to Cool the Blood (Wirtzung)
Powder for Diabetes (Riverius)
Troches for Burning Fever (Galen)
Troches of Camphor (Nicholas)
Troches of Spodium (Trochisci Spodii) (Nicholas)
Troches of Spodium (Trochisci Spodii) (Avicenna)
Expert Troches of Mahomet

Cautions:
1. Not used in Cold bodies
2. Not used in Pregnancy

Main Preparations used:
Dehydrated Juice, Distilled Water, Syrup of the Juice, Compound Syrup, Conserve of the Leaves