Prunella, Self-heal, Xia Ku Cao 夏枯草

Brunella; Also called Consolida minor
Xia Ku Cao (TCM)

Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563

Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599

Dietrich, Flora regni borussici, 1834

Uses:

1. Clears Liver Heat (TCM, West):

-red, swollen, painful eyes
-Headache, Dizziness, Convulsions, Vertigo, Epilepsy
-Hepatitis
-Hypertension; it has also been regarded as effective for Hypotension
-Hyperthyroidism
-“Miraculously effective in relieving pain in the Eyeballs, which is aggravated at Night”. (Luo Quan Shan)
-“Long term use mankes one feel Happy”. (Shen Nong Ben Cao)

2. Clears Heat and Poison:

-Toxic Sores, Abscesses, Carbuncles
-“the bites of Mad Dogs and Venomous beasts” (Culpeper)
-also taken to prevent Infection during epidemics including Measles
-“Quinsey [Tonsillitis], sores and ulcers of the mouth and jaws”. (Salmon)
-Dysentery (TCM)
-Viral infections including Herpes, Glandular Fever, Mumps, HIV etc.

3. Clears Heat and Poison, Resolves Masses:

-phlegm and heat-type Scrofula, Goiter, Lymphadenitis, Swollen Glands in the neck, and various other nodes and swellings
-used as a stand-alone herb for Scrofula, including those that have ruptured or ulcerated
-special for Mastitis, Abscesses, Tumors and Cancer of the Breast
-other Tumors and Cancers including Lymphoma
-“It dissolves hard masses, disperses Goiter and accumulation of Qi”. (Shen Nong Ben Cao)

4. Clears Heat, Clears Stasis, Promotes Healing:

-A valuable Vulnerary (Wound herb); long used internally or externally for all sorts of Wounds, Bruises, internal Bleeding
-internal or external Ulcers, including Ulcers of the mouth, anus, vagina, and Lungs.
-Fractures and Dislocations (int. & ext.)
-“used chiefly in Wounds of the Lungs”. (Schroder)‘
-“the Essence hereof taken inwardly causes all wounds inward and outwardly to heal”. (Salmon)
-“eases such as have any broken Bone in their Body, or any Dislocation of a Joint, both used inwardly and applied outwardly”. (The Compleat Herbal, Tournefort, 1719)

5. Moves the Blood, Clears Blood Stasis:

-Amenorrhea, sluggish Menstruation
-Postpartum Hemorrhage
-“Expels a dead child” (Culpeper)
-“Dissolves congealed blood” (Salmon)
-“drives away Apoplexy” taken with Vinegar. (Dorsetn, 1540)
-“the herb is also good for Tonifying the Blood”. (Zhe Zhen Heng)

6. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine:

-Difficult Urination and Edema.
-has been used for Bedwetting
-“helps all joint aches” and “is excellent for all griefs of the Sinews” (Culpeper); Gout and Arthritis (TCM, West).
-In Europe it has also been used for Jaundice, Gravel and Stones.
-“Treats swollen feet and Arthralgia due to pathogenic Damp”. (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
-“it expels evil humors through the lower parts”. (Dorsetn, 1540)

7. Clears Heat, Stops Cough:

-“A Great Pectoral” (Salmon)
-heat-type Cough and Lung disease

8. Kills Worms.

9. Externally:

-topically for all inflammations (plaster)
-topically to minor skin Sores, Infections and Rashes
-used for various Wounds and Ulcers (plaster, or fresh herbs beaten and applied)
-“great Efficacy in fresh Wounds, or in putrid Ulcers, either of the Fundament, or of the Privy Parts”. (The Compleat Herbal, Tournefort, 1719)
-topically applied to the bites of Rabid Dogs and other venomous Bites. (plaster, or fresh herb beaten and applied)
-applied to Cramps, Pain and Spasms of the Sinews and Tendons. (the ointment or plaster is applied topically)
-as a mouth wash or gargle for all sores and inflammations of the Mouth, Gums and Throat.

Main Combinations:

1. Liver Heat:
i. Self Heal with Dandelion, Peppermint
ii. Self Heal with Gentian, Scutellaria Huang Qin (TCM)
iii. Self Heal with headache, dizziness, red and sore eyes, with Cyperus rotundus and Licorice (Xia Ku Cao San from the Zhang Shi Yi Tong [Comprehensive Medicine according to Master Zhang]).
2. Hyperthyroidism, Liver Heat:
i. Self Heal with Balm
ii. from excess Liver heat, Self Heal with Scutellaria Huang Qin, Gardenia Zhi Zi, Gentiana Long Dan Cao
3. Scrofula, Lymphatic swelling:
i. Self Heal with Figwort
ii. Self Heal with Kelp, Licorice (as in Decoction of Self Heal and Kelp)
iii. Self Heal with Hyssop and Peppermint (as in Decoction of Self Heal)
iv. Self Heal with Balm, Walnut leaf, St. John’s wort, Calendulav. Self Heal with Kelp and Figwort (Xuan Shen) (TCM)
vi. Self Heal with Fritillaria Bei Mu, Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu) for Phlegm-heat with Liver Qi stagnation (Xia Ku Cao Tang from Wai Ke Zheng Zong [True Lineage of External Medicine]).
4. Goiter, Self Heal, Oyster shell (Mu Li), Fritillaria Bei Mu
5. Hypertension:
i. Self Heal with Mistletoe, Peony
ii. Self Heal with Hawthorn, Balm
6. Sore, red eyes:
i. “Soak Prunella Xia Ku Cao in sugared water overnight. Use this to treat Eye Pain”. (Li Shi Zhen)
ii. Self Heal with Eyebright
iii. Self Heal with Goji berries and Chrysanthemum (Ju Hua)
iv. Self Heal with Chrysanthemum (Ju Hua) and Cassia seed Jue Ming Zi
v. Redness, tearing, pain of the eyeballs, photophobia, Self Heal with Cyperus rotundus (Bu Gan San from Jian Yao Ji Zhong Fang [Brief Prescriptions that Aid All People])
vi. Liver deficient Eye pain, Self Heal, Cyperus rotundus, Licorice
7. Deviation of the Eyes and Mouth (ie. Post Stroke), Self Heal, Saposhnikovia Fang Feng, Arisaema prepared with Bile (Dan Nan Xing) (from Southern Yunnan Materia Medica)
8. Sore and Swollen Throat, Tonsilitis:
i. decoct 60–90 grams of fresh Self Heal, decoct and drink over the day. (Compilation of Simple Prescriptions of Herbal Medicine and Herbal Medicine)
ii. Self Heal with Sage, Tormentil, Marshmallow, Elder flower, Licorice (Gazophylacium Medico-Physicum, Woyts, 1746)
9. Cough: “The herb itself, boiled and tempered with almond oil and the juice of pomegranates, and taken, cures a hot cough”. (Dorsetn, 1540)
10. Mastitis, Breast Lumps:
i. Self Heal, Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying) (equal parts). decocted in wine or made into pills
ii. Self Heal, Bupleurum Chai Hu, Fritillaria Bei Mu, Paeonia rubra Chi Shao Yao
11. Bleeding, take 1 teaspoonful of Self Heal powder with rice soup.
12. Leukorrhea with Blood, take 6 grams of the powder of Self Heal
13. Bedwetting, Self Heal with Speedwell (Veronica)

Externally:

14. Wound including Knife wounds, chew fresh Self Heal and apply
15. Non-healing Wounds, Self Heal, Lady’s Mantle, Sanicle, Tormentil (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
16. Wash for Sores and skin inflammations, Self Heal with Honeysuckle flower (Jin Yin Hua) or Camomile
17. A wash for Wounds and Ulcers, Self Heal with Bugle and Sanicle (Culpeper)
18. Fractures, combine Self Heal with Comfrey, both internally and topically
19. Plaster for Dislocations and Trauma of the Joints, Self Heal with Hollyhock root, Frankincense, Myrrh, Shilajit and Turpentine, made into a plaster with Suet and Oil (The Compleat Bone-setter, Turner, 1656)
20. Headache from Heat and inflammation:
i. “The juice of this herb, tempered with rose water, applied to the head, soothes the pain”. (Dorsetn, 1540)
ii. Self Heal juice with Vinegar of Roses, applied topically. (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)

Major Formulas:

Decoction of Self Heal
Decoction of Self Heal and Kelp
Decoction of Timaei (modified)
Powder for Cancerous Ulcers (Gabelhover)
Plaster for Dislocations