shui zhi

Name: shui zhi
Creator: Bencao Index

水蛭·Hirudo

Leech

Slightly toxic

Toxicity graded by American Dragon.

About shui zhi

Shui Zhi (水蛭) is the leech, recorded as Hirudo. It is salty and bitter in flavour and neutral in temperature, entering the Liver and Bladder channels. The catalogue files it among the substances that invigorate the Blood.

Names

Pinyin	shui zhi
Chinese	水蛭
Latin Name	Hirudo
English Name	Leech
Japanese	suitetsu
Korean	sujil

Classification

Category: Invigorate the Blood
Channels: Bladder, Liver
Flavour: Bitter, Salty
Temperature: Neutral
Part used: Animal
Family: hirudinidae
Species: hirudo nipponica
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Breaks up and drives out Blood stasis and reduces fixed masses

Stubborn, fixed, long-standing Blood stasis
Palpable, immovable abdominal or uterine masses (Zheng Jia) from congealed Blood
Absent periods caused by obstructing Blood stasis, not by deficiency
Bruising, swelling and pain after traumatic injury

Clears the water passages

Induces abortion

Combinations

tao ren + meng chong + da huang
Masses and amenorrhea due to lower abdominal Blood Stasis
san leng + e zhu + dang gui
Palpable, fixed abdominal masses.
san qi
Bruising, swelling and pain after trauma
hai zao
Fixed, palpable masses in the throat, such as esophageal carcinoma
mang xiao + da huang
Blood Stasis from invading Heat, with fever, delirium, a distended abdomen, urinary incontinence and, when severe, a dull, dusky yellow skin
da huang + qian niu zi
Traumatic swelling and pain
da huang
Breaks up and attacks Blood Stasis rapidly while regulating Yin and Yang
meng chong
Mania and abdominal masses from severe Blood Stasis, or marked Blood accumulation after trauma
ren shen + shu di huang
Blood Stasis with underlying Deficiency causing amenorrhea
tao ren + meng chong
Black, tarry stools with a hard, painful abdomen

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 1-6g; Powders and Pills: 0.3-0.6g; Cancers: 6-9g	1-6 g	—	—	—	—

Cautions

pregnancy Contraindicated in pregnancy: a strong Blood-breaking medicinal that can induce abortion
contraindication Blood deficiency
contraindication Weakness or deficiency without stasis
caution Not for frequent use
caution Anyone who bleeds easily, is bleeding now or faces surgery; in a brain-haemorrhage trial, a formula containing leech brought more treatment-related adverse events
caution Slightly toxic; use only under professional supervision
caution An animal product, unsuitable for vegetarians and vegans
caution Farmed leeches can take up lead and other metals from their water, so source from a tested, reputable supplier

Interactions

Drug interactions

Anticoagulants (heparin, warfarin, enoxaparin, direct oral anticoagulants) and antiplatelet drugs (aspirin, dipyridamole, clopidogrel): bleeding risk may be compounded; this is inferred from its thrombin-inhibiting peptides and a human trial safety signal rather than a formal interaction study, so have it reviewed first

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