ma chi xian

马齿苋·Herba Portulacae

Purslane

About ma chi xian

Ma Chi Xian (马齿苋) is purslane, recorded as Herba Portulacae. It is sour and bland in flavour and cold in temperature, entering the Liver and Large Intestine channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that clear Heat and relieve toxicity.

Names

Pinyin	ma chi xian
Chinese	马齿苋
Latin Name	Herba Portulacae
English Name	Purslane
Japanese	bashiken
Korean	machihyeon

Classification

Category: Clear Heat, Relieve Toxicity
Channels: Large Intestine, Liver
Flavour: Sour, Bland
Temperature: Cold
Family: portulacaceae
Species: portulaca oleracea
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Clears Heat, resolves Fire toxin and cools Blood

Dysentery from Fire toxin or Damp-Heat
Main use: bacillary dysentery where the bowels do not empty fully
Blood Heat

Clears Damp-Heat and heals sores

Carbuncles and sores from Fire toxin (Chuang Yung), taken internally or applied
Damp-Heat skin lesions, eczema-like eruptions and boils, internally or topically
Vaginal discharge, red or white

Relieves the pain and swelling of snakebite and wasp stings

Snakebite and wasp stings, as a traditional external application; a venomous bite is a medical emergency

Stops bleeding, disperses Blood stasis and relieves painful urinary dysfunction

Painful urinary dysfunction with blood (Blood Lin)
Hot, painful urinary dysfunction
Urinary tract infection with blood in the urine
Uterine bleeding, particularly after childbirth

Combinations

huang qin + huang lian
Damp-Heat dysenteric disorders.
pu gong ying
Intestinal abscess.
bai tou weng
Heat toxin causing dysentery
da suan + huang lian
Bacterial diarrhea or dysentery.
hai piao xiao
White vaginal discharge, whether or not blood is present

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 9-15g; (30-60g); Tincture: 2-5ml	9-15 g	—	2-5 ml	—	—

Cautions

pregnancy Do not use in pregnancy
contraindication Cold from Spleen and Stomach deficiency; loose stools from deficiency are not the dysentery this herb treats
caution High in oxalate: people with calcium-oxalate kidney stones, reduced kidney function or malabsorption should check with a doctor before consuming large amounts; blanching and pickling reduce the oxalate
caution Water extracts of the seed, which is not the part used in Chinese medicine, have been followed by itching, fast heartbeat, anxiety, breathlessness and severe nausea

Interactions

Drug interactions

Potassium-sparing diuretics, ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers, and advanced kidney disease: the herb is high in potassium (precautionary; no interaction demonstrated)