chuan niu xi

Name: chuan niu xi
Creator: Bencao Index

川牛膝·Radix Cyathulae

Cyathula Root

About chuan niu xi

Chuan Niu Xi (川牛膝) is the root of cyathula, recorded as Radix Cyathulae. It is sweet and bitter in flavour and neutral in temperature, entering the Liver and Kidney channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that invigorate the Blood.

Names

Pinyin	chuan niu xi
Chinese	川牛膝
Latin Name	Radix Cyathulae
English Name	Cyathula Root
Japanese	sengoshitsu
Korean	cheonuseul

Classification

Category: Invigorate the Blood
Channels: Kidney, Liver
Flavour: Sweet, Bitter
Temperature: Neutral
Part used: Root
Family: Amaranthaceae
Species: cyathula officinalis
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Invigorates Blood, dispels stasis and unblocks menstruation

Painful or absent periods from congealed Blood
Lochia retained after childbirth, with abdominal pain
Palpable masses
Pain and bruising after traumatic injury

Expels Wind-Damp, unblocks the channels and benefits the joints

Wind-Damp Bi with pain mainly in the lower back, knees and legs, and heaviness, cramping or weakness
Wasting and spasm of the legs

Promotes urination and relieves painful urinary dysfunction

Lin patterns from Damp-Heat, with scanty urine that is painful to pass or contains blood

Leads Blood and Fire downward

Upward-flaring Fire causing bleeding (vomiting of blood, nosebleed), with headache, dizziness, toothache and mouth or tongue ulcers
Headache and dizziness from ascending Liver Yang
Used as a guide to direct a formula's action toward the lower body

Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys and strengthens the sinews and bones

Sore, weak and painful lower back and knees

Combinations

hong hua + dang gui + tao ren
Gynecological disorders.
dang gui + chuan xiong + gui ban
Difficult labor.
hong hua + ru xiang + mo yao
Musculoskeletal pain.
dang gui + qu mai + hua shi
Blood in the urine with painful, burning urination
xiao ji + bai mao gen + zhi zi
Hematemesis and epistaxis.
shu di huang + zhi mu + shi gao
Yin Deficiency Fire with toothache or ulcers of the mouth and tongue
dai zhe shi + mu li + gui ban
Liver Wind with rising Liver Yang
shu di huang + gui ban + du zhong + suo yang
Weak lower back and knees
huang bai + yi yi ren
Damp-Heat causing red, swollen, painful joints in the lower body
mu gua + han fang ji + bi xie
Wind-Damp causing joint pain in the lower body

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 4.5-15g; May use up to 30g; Tincture: 2-5ml	4.5-15 g	—	2-5 ml	—	—

Cautions

pregnancy Do not use in pregnancy: it breaks up stasis and drives downward
contraindication Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, which its downward, Blood-moving action can increase
contraindication Spermatorrhea or nocturnal emissions
caution A poor fit for purely deficient patterns with no stasis; take care where digestion is weak
caution Check the botanical source on the label: the name Niu Xi covers at least three different roots, and Cyathula and Achyranthes material are swapped for each other in trade

Interactions

Drug interactions

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines: a precaution only, since the root moves Blood and may affect clotting; no interaction has been demonstrated

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