Nature: acrid, hot, slightly toxic

Enters: Spleen, Stomach, Kidney

Actions: Warms the middle Jiao, disperses cold, relieves pain; kills parasites.

Indications:
• Yang deficiency with cold in the spleen and stomach: epigastric and abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea.
• Roundworms: abdominal pain, vomiting.
• Pinworms: can be used as an enema.
• Schistosomiasis: Chuan jiao can be useful, increases appetite, reduces organomegaly. (Given in capsules in study.)
• Topical: as a poultice or compress for pain.
• Can reduce or stop lactation within 1 or 2 days postpartum.
• Overdose can cause paralysis of the diaphragm.
• Good quality Chuan jiao should cause numbness of the lips when eaten.
• Not to be combined with Li lu. Not to be used for Yang rising headaches.
• Farong Zhang: The seed inside ““ Jiao mu ““ is safe; its toxicity is in the fleshy covering.
Yoga: Tamburu: V, K-; P+
• Powerfully destroys toxins (Ama), kills worms and candida.
• Good for Sama Vata and arthritis; anti-rheumatic, increases peripheral circulation.
JC: (Z. americanum, Z. clava-herculis, Z. faxineum bark and berries. Berries are considered more effective, as they contain a volatile oil.)
• General stimulant (including cardiac), tonic, alterative, pungent, deobstruent, diuretic, antiseptic, diaphoretic, sialogogue, nervine. Plus, the volatile oil (found in the fruit) is stimulant, antispasmodic, carminative, acts principally upon mucus membranes.
• Dispels obstruction from all parts of the body.
• Asthma, cholera, cold extremities, colds, colic, diarrhea, dropsy, dyspepsia (atonic), female problems (chronic), flatulence, hepatic problems, lumbago, paralysis (including of tongue), pharyngitis, syphilis, rheumatism (chronic), scrofula, skin disease, poor circulation, mouth sores, toothache, ulcers, wounds. Can be chewed for mouth sores and toothache.
• Rheumatism liniment: mix 1 ounce [28.4g] of the herb in 4 ounces olive oil. Use with massage.
NAH: (Z. americanum, Z. clava-herculis)
• Stimulating to the circulation (the berries are reputedly more powerful than the bark, which is also used in Western herbalism) – causes blood to flow to the periphery, promotes sweating (helps reduce fevers).
• One common name is “toothache tree” since it can be chewed as a counter-irritant for toothache pain.
• Warms the stomach, stimulates the salivary glands and mucous membranes, reduces colic and flatulence, strengthens debilitated digestion, especially if the pulse is weak and the tongue is pale and flabby.
• Considerable reputation for allaying rheumatic pain.
• Reputed to have anti-cancer activity – the isolated benzophenanthridene alkaloids are reported to be destructive to cells, however, there are no accounts of adverse side-effects from medicinal doses.
Dose: 1.5-6g

 
Jiao Mu: the seed
• Bitter, acrid, cold; enters the bladder and spleen channels.
• Moves water; calms wheezing.
• Edema with fullness and distention or wheezing and cough due to congested fluids.

Dose: 1.5-6g