Wiseman’s Chinese Medical Database

zǐ sū gěng / 紫苏梗 / 紫蘇梗 / perilla stem;

Latin pharmacognostic name: Perillae Caulis

Alternate English names: beefsteak plant stem

Alternate Chinese names: 苏梗 sū gěng; 紫苏茎叶 zǐ sū jīng yè

Origin: Plant

Use: medicinal

Category: Exterior-resolving agents / Warm acrid exterior-resolving agents

Properties: Sweet and acrid; slightly warm.

Channel entry: lung, spleen, and stomach channels.

Indications:

Loosens the chest and disinhibits the diaphragm; normalizes qì and quiets the fetus.

qì stagnation in the chest and abdomen with glomus, oppression, and distension. Also treats stirring fetus.

Quality:

Tough old stems with purplish-brown barks and few branches are best. A strong aroma is also a sign of good quality.

See also:

zǐ sū yè (紫苏叶 Perillae Folium, perilla leaf;)