Zi He Che (紫河车) is the human placenta, recorded as Placenta Hominis. It is sweet and salty in flavour and warm in temperature, entering the Lung, Liver and Kidney channels. The catalogue files it among the substances that tonify Yang.

Pinyin

zi he che

Chinese

紫河车

Latin Name

Placenta Hominis

English Name

Human Placenta

Japanese

shikasha

Korean

jahageo

Actions and indications

Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys, warms Kidney Yang and strengthens Jing

Deficient Kidney Qi and Jing with Blood deficiency, causing infertility, impotence, spermatorrhea, low libido, low back pain, light-headedness and ringing in the ears
Kidney Yang deficiency with weak lower back and knees

Tonifies Qi and nourishes Blood

Depleted Qi and Blood with wasting, pallor or too little breast milk, particularly after a serious illness
Weakness after childbirth
Fatigue, poor appetite and slow recovery of weight and strength following severe or chronic illness
Seizure disorder that does not remit

Tonifies Lung Qi, augments Kidney Jing and helps the Lungs receive Qi

Wheezing from deficiency of the Lungs and Kidneys, used especially between acute attacks
Consumption with night sweats, wasting and debility
Long-standing cough and wheezing

Combinations

lu jiao jiao + dong chong xia cao

Infertility and impotence.

shu di huang

Chronic weakness and debility.

shu di huang + huang qi + dang shen

Qi Deficiency.

shu di huang + dang gui + bai shao

Blood Deficiency.

shu di huang + bai zhu + shan yao

Spleen Deficiency with poor appetite

wu wei zi + mai men dong

Lung Deficiency with cough and wheezing

gui ban + huang bai

Yin Deficiency with steaming bone, cough, night sweats and emaciation

shu di huang + lu jiao jiao + dong chong xia cao + yin yang huo

Jing Deficiency.

shu di huang + dang gui

Blood Deficiency with insufficient lactation. Anemia

huang qi + ren shen + dang gui + shu di huang

Qi and Blood Deficiency, including insufficient lactation arising from it

ge jie

Chronic respiratory disorders.

tian men dong + gui ban + huang bai

Yin Deficiency Heat with chronic cough

Age

Raw

Granule

Tincture

Concentrate

Frequency

Any 1.5-5g; Tincture: 1-3ml

1.5-5 g

—

1-3 ml

—

Cautions

caution Heat signs from deficient Yin: never use it alone

caution Take care with prolonged use

contraindication Toothache from Stomach Fire

caution Not for anyone without genuine weakness

caution Not where no true pathological factor is present

caution Serious ethical and safety concerns: it was removed from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia in 2015, the trade in human placenta has been banned in China since 2005, and it is described here for reference only

caution An illicit trade has been reported that takes placentas without consent from hospitals, medical waste and funeral homes

caution Risk of bloodborne infection (hepatitis B, HIV, syphilis and others) when the tissue comes from unscreened donors; inadequate processing cannot be relied on to remove it

caution Selling human tissue, placenta included, is prohibited in the United States, and many other countries restrict or forbid the trade

caution Market samples have been found padded with starch fillers instead of real placenta

zi he che

About zi he che

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys, warms Kidney Yang and strengthens Jing

Tonifies Qi and nourishes Blood

Tonifies Lung Qi, augments Kidney Jing and helps the Lungs receive Qi

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

About zi he che

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys, warms Kidney Yang and strengthens Jing

Tonifies Qi and nourishes Blood

Tonifies Lung Qi, augments Kidney Jing and helps the Lungs receive Qi

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

Related

Used in 1 formula