yi mu cao

益母草·Herba Leonuri

Leonurus

About yi mu cao

Yi Mu Cao (益母草) is motherwort, a plant of the mint family, recorded as Herba Leonuri. It is acrid and bitter in flavour, slightly cold, and enters the Heart, Liver and Bladder channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that invigorate the Blood. Its Chinese name reads as the herb that benefits mothers.

Names

Pinyinyi mu cao
Chinese益母草
Latin NameHerba Leonuri
English NameLeonurus·motherwort
Japaneseyakumoso
Koreanikmocho

Classification

Channels
Heart, Bladder, Liver
Flavour
Acrid, Bitter
Temperature
Slightly Cold
Family
Labiatae
Species
Leonurus heterophyllus
Tags
Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Invigorates Blood, dispels stasis, regulates menstruation and reduces masses

  • Irregular periods from Blood stasis, with abdominal pain before the period
  • Abdominal pain after childbirth with retained lochia
  • Amenorrhea, or heavy periods with clots
  • Fixed abdominal masses and infertility from Blood stasis on a base of Blood deficiency
  • Pain from traumatic injury

Promotes urination and reduces swelling and edema

  • Acute generalised edema, particularly with blood in the urine
  • Edema together with Blood stasis
  • Scanty or painful urination
  • Chronic edema from nephritis, with heaviness, distension and fatigue
  • Kidney stones

Clears Heat and resolves toxicity, internally or topically

  • Toxic swellings, sores and abscesses
  • Itchy rashes from Damp-Heat lodged in the muscles and skin
  • Eczema, skin lesions and ulcers

Combinations

Dosage

AgeRawGranuleTinctureConcentrateFrequency
Any 9-60g; Dried: 90-120g; Fresh: 180-240g; Tincture: 2-4ml; For glomerulonephritis with edema: up to 120g9-60 g2-4 ml

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions