Back to previous page Search again ↑

Latin pharmacognostic name: Cassiae Semen

Alternate English names: sicklepod [seed]

Alternate Chinese names: 羊角 yáng jiǎo; 马蹄决明 mǎ tí jué míng; 马蹄子 mǎ tí zǐ; 草决明 cǎo jué míng

Kingdom: Plant

Origin in PRC Pharmacopoeia: Cassia tora L.; Cassia obtusifolia L. (PRC Pharmacopoeia)

Origin (other sources): Cassia tora L.*; Cassia obtusifolia L.*

Use: Medicinal

Category: Heat-clearing agents / Heat-clearing fire-draining agents

Properties: Sweet, bitter, salty; slightly cold.

Channel entry: Liver, large intestine, and kidney channels.

Indications:

• Clears the liver and brightens the eyes: Red eyes and dim vision.
• Moistens the intestines and frees the stool: Constipation due to heat bind or intestinal dryness.
• Modern applications: Jué míng zǐ lowers serum cholesterol and helps to prevent hardening of the arteries. For this, it is used in daily doses of 30g. It also has a hypotensive effect.

Dosage & Method: Oral: Usually, 10–15g in decoctions, but up to 30g may be used. It is especially appropriate for use in pills and powders. It should not be boiled for long when it is used for constipation. Daily dosages of 30g may be used to reduce cholesterol.

Warnings: Jué míng zǐ should be used with care in sloppy stool from qì vacuity. Do not take it for prolonged periods when using it for constipation. unsuitable for patients with low blood pressure.

Product Description: The dried seed is rhomboid in shape, like a horse's hoof, pointed at one end and truncated at the other. It is 5–8 mm long, and 2.5–3 mm wide. The exterior surface is yellowish or greenish brown, smooth and shiny, with a protuberant brown ridge line on each face that has an indented paler line on either side. From here the seed cracks open when it swells after soaking in water. This seed is hard and not easily broken. The cross section shows the seed coat to be thin, the endosperm to be grayish-white or pale yellow, the cotyledons to be yellow or brown, heavily pleated and wrinkled.

Quality: Evenly sized fat yellowish-brown seeds are the best.

Product Area: All parts of China, with principal production in ānhuī, Guǎngxī, Sìchuān, Zhèjiāng, and Guǎngdōng.

Etymology: The name jué míng zǐ 决明子, lit., decidedly bright seed, reflects the fact that this seed enhances visual acuity. The alternate name cǎo jué míng 草决明, herb decidedly bright, avoids confusion with shí jué míng 石决明, q.v.

Back to previous page Search again