di fu zi

地肤子·Fructus Kochiae

belvedere fruit

About di fu zi

Di Fu Zi (地肤子) is the fruit of kochia, recorded as Fructus Kochiae. It is sweet and bitter in flavour and cold in temperature, entering the Bladder and Kidney channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that drain Dampness.

Names

Pinyin	di fu zi
Chinese	地肤子·地膚子
Latin Name	Fructus Kochiae
English Name	belvedere fruit·Kochia Fruit
Japanese	jifushi
Korean	jibuja

Classification

Category: Drain Dampness
Channels: Bladder, Kidney
Flavour: Sweet, Bitter
Temperature: Cold
Family: Chenopodiaceae
Species: Kochia scoparia
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Clears Damp-Heat and promotes urination

Lin pattern from Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao, with dark, scanty, burning urine that is difficult or painful to pass

Expels Damp and stops itching

Itchy Damp skin conditions such as eczema, hives and scabies, including widespread weeping eruptions; taken internally or used as an external wash or soak
Damp-Heat of the external genitals, with itching and discharge

Clears Wind-Heat from the head and eyes

Wind-Heat causing painful swelling of the eyes and head, and skin conditions

Combinations

zhu ling + tong cao + qu mai
Damp-Heat in the Bladder with painful, scanty, dark and burning urination
ku shen
Damp-Heat with itching and irritated skin
she chuang zi
Itching, applied externally as a wash
sheng di huang + bai xian pi
Itchy eczema from Wind-Heat or Damp-Heat
che qian zi + hua shi + mu tong
Damp-Heat dysuria.
zhu ling + che qian zi + tong cao + gan cao
Infections of the Bladder or urinary tract
bai xian pi + ku shen + she chuang zi
Itching, with the powder applied to the skin
mu dan pi + bai xian pi + huang bai + jin yin hua
Eczema.
jin yin hua + fang feng + bo he + ju hua + huang bai
Red, itchy urticaria
jue ming zi + qing xiang zi + gu jing cao
Eye redness and pain.

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 3-15g; Tincture: 2-4ml	3-15 g	—	2-4 ml	—	—

Cautions

caution No Damp-Heat present, including dry, deficient or Cold patterns
caution Body fluids already depleted, since it promotes urination
caution Rarely, taking it by mouth causes an allergic reaction with hives, itching and small blisters on the lips and mouth; stop and review if a rash gets worse after starting it
pregnancy In pregnancy, only with a qualified practitioner's supervision

Interactions

Caution with

hai piao xiao Avoid combining with Hai Piao Xiao (cuttlefish bone)

Drug interactions

Diuretic medicines, or existing fluid and electrolyte problems: take care, since the herb itself promotes urination (a precaution, not a demonstrated interaction)