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Alternate English names: caltrop [fruit]

Alternate Chinese names: 刺蒺藜 cì jí lí; 白蒺藜 bái jí lí; 白蒺 bái jí; 疾藜 jí lí; 蒺藜 jí lí; 蒺藜子 jí lí zǐ; 杜蒺藜 dù jí lí

Kingdom: Plant

Origin in PRC Pharmacopoeia: Tribulus terrestris L. (PRC Pharmacopoeia)

Origin in unofficial sources: Tribulus terrestris L.

Use: Medicinal

Category: Liver-calming wind-extinguishing agents / Liver-calming yáng-subduing agents

Properties: Acrid, bitter; balanced.

Channel entry: Liver channels.

Actions and indications:

• Calms liver yáng; disperses wind evil: Dizziness from ascendant hyperactivity of liver yáng; wind-heat headache.
• Courses the liver: Liver depression and qì stagnation with distension and pain in the chest and rib-sides or breast milk stoppage with distension or breast milk stoppage with painful distended breasts.
• Dispels wind and brightens the eyes: Red eyes and eye screens due to wind-heat attacking the upper body.
• Dispels wind and relieves itching: Itchy wind papules (German measles) and white patch wind (vitiligo).

Dosage and method: Oral: 6–15g in decoctions.

Warnings: Although jí lí contains small amounts of the monoamineoxidase-inhibiting alkaloid harmine, it is not generally considered to pose a significant risk of herb-drug interactions when applied within its typical dosage range.

Quality: Evenly sized full firm white fruits are the best.

Production area: ānhuī, Shāndōng.

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