Qing Xiang Zi (青襄子) is the seed of feather cockscomb, recorded as Semen Celosiae. It is sweet in flavour and slightly cold, entering the Liver channel alone. The catalogue files it among the herbs that drain Fire.

Pinyin

qing xiang zi

Chinese

青葙子

Latin Name

Semen Celosiae

English Name

celosia seed·Celosia Seeds·feather cockscomb seed·feather cockscomb seed; celosia seed

Japanese

seisoshi

Korean

cheongsangja

Actions and indications

Clears Liver Fire, disperses Wind-Heat and brightens the eyes

Red, swollen, painful eyes from an external Wind-Heat invasion
Eye disorders from Liver Fire: corneal opacity, cataract-type clouding or blurred vision

Calms rising Liver Yang

High blood pressure from Liver Yang rising or Liver Fire
Headache from Wind-Heat

Combinations

ju hua + long dan cao

Liver Fire with red, swollen, painful eyes

jue ming zi + mi meng hua

Impaired or blurred vision

jue ming zi + xia ku cao

Red, painful, swollen eyes from Liver Fire

mi meng hua + mu zei

Wind-Heat with red, swollen, painful eyes

da zao

Night blindness

xia ku cao + gou teng + shi jue ming

Hypertension from Liver Fire

jue ming zi + huang qin + xia ku cao

Liver Fire headache

Age

Raw

Granule

Tincture

Concentrate

Frequency

Any 3-15g; tincture: 2-4ml

3-15 g

—

2-4 ml

—

Cautions

contraindication Glaucoma, raised pressure inside the eye or dilated pupils: the herb is traditionally held to widen the pupil, which would push eye pressure higher

caution Where the anterior chamber is shallow or angle-closure glaucoma runs in the family, take only with professional oversight and inform the eye-care provider of any herbs used

contraindication Liver and Kidney deficiency, including eye complaints arising from deficiency rather than Fire; a cold, draining herb does not suit a depleted patient

caution Deficiency Cold of the Spleen and Stomach, or loose stools from Cold

caution Deficiency of Qi, Yang or both

caution Not for self-treating eye disease: eyes that are red, painful or losing vision need a professional assessment

qing xiang zi

About qing xiang zi

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Clears Liver Fire, disperses Wind-Heat and brightens the eyes

Calms rising Liver Yang

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions