Fo Shou - 佛手 - Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis
Common English:	Buddha's Hand Finger Citron Fruit Finger Lemon Fruit

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Acrid Bitter (Sour)	Warm (Slightly Warm)	Liver Lung Stomach Spleen	3-10g Tincture:1-2ml

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Spreads and regulates Liver Qi	Liver Qi Stagnation with chest or hypochondriac pain or a stifling sensation in the chest Liver Yin Deficiency with emotional problems
Harmonizes the Stomach, dries Dampness and strengthens the Spleen	Spleen and Stomach Qi Stagnation with epigastric pain, fullness and distention, lack of appetite, belching and/or vomiting Liver Qi Stagnation Attacking the Stomach Yin Deficiency with Stomach Qi Stagnation
Regulates Lung Qi and transforms Phlegm	Sub-acute or chronic coughs due to Phlegm-Damp in the chest with copious Phlegm Especially useful for unrelenting cough with chest pain

CONTRAINDICATIONS

INCOMPATIBILITIES

HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Rz. Cyperi Xiang Fu Rx. Curcumae Yu Jin	Rx. Aucklandiae Mu Xiang Per. Citri Reticulatae Viride Qing Pi	Fol. Eriobotryae Pi Pa Ye Fructus Luffae Retinervus Si Gua Luo
Strengthens the function of spreading Liver Qi.	Indigestion, fullness, and discomfort in the chest, epigastrium and abdomen, anorexia, and belching or vomiting.	Unrelenting sub-acute cough with chest pain.
Per. Citri Reticulatae Viride Qing Pi Fr. Toosendan Chuan Lian Zi	Fr. Citri Xiang Yuan Rz. Cyperi Xiang Fu Rx. Aucklandiae Mu Xiang Fr. Aurantii Zhi Ke	Rz. Zingiberis Recens Sheng Jiang Lignum Aquilariae Resinatum Chen Xiang Lignum Dalbergiae Odoriferae Jiang Xiang
Epigastric pain from Liver Qi Stagnation.	Spleen and Stomach Qi Stagnation.	Nausea and vomiting.
Caul. Bambusae in Taeniam Zhu Ru Fol. Perillae Zi Su Ye Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin	Fol. Eriobotryae Pi Pa Ye Fructus Luffae Retinervus Si Gua Luo Rx. Curcumae Yu Jin
Nausea and vomiting in pregnant women.	Persistent cough with profuse sputum and chest pain.

Although it moves Qi powerfully, it is only weakly analgesic.
Persistent coughs accompanied by chest pain are a particular indication.
Since it transforms Phlegm only weakly, it is not used in the early stages of externally contracted coughs.
It is warm without being drying.
The flower, Flos Citri Sarcodactylis Fo Shou Hua, has similar but gentler properties. It is better at descending Lung Qi and is commonly used for cough and wheezing from rebellious Lung Qi rising. It is regarded as more effective for emphysema, and its dosage is 3-9g.
The alternate name Citrus Wilsonii Xiang Yuan highlights its use for the Spleen and Lung when there is distention, pain and fullness of the chest, ribs, abdomen and epigastrium.
Finger Citron Fruit Dew Fo Shou Lu is the distilled liquid. It awakens the Spleen, soothes Liver constraint, dredges Qi, unbinds the Stomach and restores a normal appetite, and it may be drunk as a tea or added to other decoctions.