ye jiao teng

夜交藤·Caulis Polygoni Multiflori

caulis polygoni multiflori

About ye jiao teng

Ye Jiao Teng (夜交藤) is the stem of fleeceflower, recorded as Caulis Polygoni Multiflori. It is sweet and slightly bitter in flavour and neutral in temperature, entering the Heart and Liver channels. The catalogue files it among the substances that nourish the Heart and calm the Spirit. Its Chinese name reads as the vine that couples at night.

Names

Pinyin	ye jiao teng
Chinese	夜交藤
Latin Name	Caulis Polygoni Multiflori
English Name	caulis polygoni multiflori·Fleeceflower Caulis·fleeceflower stem·fleeceflower stem; caulis polygoni multiflori
Japanese	yakoto
Korean	yagyodeung

Classification

Category: Nourish Heart, Calm Spirit
Channels: Heart, Liver
Flavour: Sweet, Slightly Bitter
Temperature: Neutral
Family: Polygonaceae
Species: Polygonum Multiflorum
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Nourishes Heart Blood and Yin and calms the Spirit

Insomnia and irritability from deficient Heart Yin or Heart Blood
Restless sleep full of dreams, for which it is especially suited
Palpitations from Blood or Yin deficiency

Nourishes Blood and the sinews, unblocks the channels and dispels Wind-Damp

Aches, soreness, numbness and general weakness of the body when Blood is deficient
Aching back and limbs from Wind-Damp Bi

Dispels Wind and stops itching (external)

Used as an external wash for itching, rashes and hives when Wind combines with deficient Blood

Astringes sweating

Excessive or spontaneous sweating from deficiency

Combinations

he huan pi + he huan hua + suan zao ren + bai zi ren
Heart Blood Deficiency with insomnia, particularly where nightmares are frequent
fu shen
Calms the Spirit.
dang gu + ji xue teng + dan shen
Blood Deficiency with generalized muscle weakness, aching and numbness
qiang huo + sang ji sheng + qin jiao
Wind-Damp Bi.
chan tui + fu ping + di fu zi
Wind-type itching, used externally as a wash
he huan pi
Nourishes Heart Blood and calms the Spirit, moves the Blood, rejoins sinew and bone, reduces swelling and dispels Wind from the collaterals so the exterior tissues are nourished again
he huan hua
Calms the Spirit by gently and harmoniously easing constraint, regulating Qi, and nourishing Blood and Yin
wei ling xian + du huo + qiang huo
Yin or Blood Deficiency causing Bi Syndrome

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 9-30g; Tincture: 2-4ml	9-30 g	—	2-4 ml	—	—

Cautions

caution Take more care where Phlegm or Damp is marked, since the herb is sweet and moistening

Interactions

Drug interactions

Medicines that can harm the liver, and patients with liver disease: a precaution only, because the stem comes from the same plant as He Shou Wu, whose root has documented liver-injury reports; no interaction is documented for this herb itself