ze lan

Name: ze lan
Creator: Bencao Index

泽兰·Herba Lycopi

bugleweed

About ze lan

Ze Lan (泽兰) is bugleweed, a plant of the mint family, recorded as Herba Lycopi. It is bitter and acrid in flavour, slightly warm, and enters the Liver and Spleen channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that invigorate the Blood.

Names

Pinyin	ze lan
Chinese	泽兰
Latin Name	Herba Lycopi
English Name	bugleweed·hirsute shiny bugleweed herb·hirsute shiny bugleweed herb; bugleweed·Lycopos
Japanese	takuran
Korean	taekran

Classification

Category: Invigorate the Blood
Channels: Spleen, Liver
Flavour: Acrid, Bitter
Temperature: Slightly Warm
Family: Labiatae
Species: Lycopus Lucidus
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Invigorates Blood, dispels stasis and regulates menstruation

Blood stasis obstructing the periods, which may be irregular, painful or absent
Abdominal pain after childbirth from Blood stasis, with retained lochia

Reduces swelling and disperses masses

Pain and swelling from abscesses, sores, bruising or traumatic injury, used internally and topically

Promotes urination and disperses swelling

Generalised or facial edema, as a supporting herb
Edema after childbirth
Painful or dribbling urination after childbirth, as a supporting herb

Combinations

chuan xiong
Traumatic pain, amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea
dan shen
Traumatic swelling and pain
jiang huang + kuān jīn téng
Traumatic swelling and pain, used as a wash
dang gui + jin yin hua + gan cao
Abscess with swelling and pain
bai mao gen
Edema with Heat.
han fang ji
Drains water, moves Blood and opens the collaterals for leg Qi, ascites and edema of the face and limbs. Edema after childbirth
yi mu cao
Patterns in which Blood Stasis and pathogenic water accumulate together, such as Blood separation, where menstruation stops and edema of the whole body follows
chuan xiong + dang gui + hong hua + tao ren
Pain and bruises.
dang gui + dan shen + bai shao
Irregular or painful menstruation, and abdominal pain after childbirth
dang gui + bai shao + zhi gan cao
Blood Deficiency with Fire causing amenorrhea
dan shen + yu jin
Qi and Blood Stagnation with pain in the chest and hypochondrium
chuan niu xi
Traumatic injury leaving Blood Stagnation with back pain

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 3-15g; Up to 30g topically; Tincture: 2-4ml	3-15 g	—	2-4 ml	—	—

Cautions

pregnancy Pregnancy: sources range from use with caution to contraindicated; avoid unless a practitioner prescribes it and oversees its use
contraindication Heavy menstrual bleeding, which moving the Blood can make worse
caution Deficient Blood, unless tonics are added to protect it
contraindication Absence of Blood stasis; without that pattern there is no reason to use it
caution Western research on bugleweed for thyroid conditions concerns a different Lycopus species; it is no basis for using Ze Lan, and thyroid conditions should not be self-treated

Interactions

Drug interactions

Diuretics (chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide, bumetanide, torsemide): combined use may increase loss of water or electrolytes
Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines: a class precaution for Blood-moving herbs; no interaction has been shown for Ze Lan itself

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