Li Zhi He - 荔枝核 - Semen Litchi

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Semen Litchi
Common English:	Leechee Nut Lychee Pip

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Sweet (Acrid) (Astringent)	Warm	Liver Stomach	6-15g Crush before dispensing For epigastric pain: 24-30g 9-15g; crush before dispensing (Secondary source)

Actions

Indications/Syndromes

Disperses Cold and Stagnation and stops pain

Cold in the Liver Channel with bulging disorders with pain in the groin or testicles

Heat in the Liver Channel (with appropriate herbs)

Regulates Qi and stops pain

Liver Qi Stagnation with abdominal and epigastric pain

Qi and Blood Stagnation with abdominal, premenstrual or postpartum pain

CONTRAINDICATIONS

INCOMPATIBILITIES

HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Use caution for those taking insulin, sulfonylureas and other antidiabetics such as tolbutamide (Orinase), glipizide (Glucotrol) and glyburide (DiaBeta/Micronase) as there may be a synergistic effect leading to hypoglycemia.

Sm. Citri Reticulatae Ju He	Fr. Foeniculi Xiao Hui Xiang Fr. Evodiae Wu Zhu Yu (Sm. Citri Rubrum) (Ju He)	Rx. Gentianae Long Dan Cao Fr. Toosendan Chuan Lian Zi (Fr. Gardenia) (Zhi Zi) (Rx. et Rz. Rhei) (Da Huang)
Bulging disorders from Cold in the Liver Channel. Ovarian cysts and abdominal masses. Running piglet disorder.	Testicular pain and swelling and other hernial disorders associated with Cold.	Testicular pain, redness, and swelling due to Damp-Heat in the Liver channel.
Rx. Aucklandiae Mu Xiang Rz. Corydalis Yan Hu Suo (Fr. Toosendan) (Chuan Lian Zi)	Rz. Cyperi Xiang Fu	Fr. Citri Aurantii Zhi Ke
Chronic epigastric pain due to Liver Qi Stagnation.	Premenstrual or postpartum pain. Abdominal pain.	Bulging disorders.
Fr. Toosendan Chuan Lian Zi Fr. Foeniculi Xiao Hui Xiang	Rx. Aucklandiae Mu Xiang Fr. Evodiae Wu Zhu Yu Cx. Cinnamomi (only if signs of Cold) Rou Gui
Running piglet disorder due to Cold in the Lower Jiao.	Ben Tun sensation.

According to some sources, this herb disperses hardness.
It is used for gastralgia, testicular swelling, and stasis and pain in gynecological conditions.
Li Zhi He and Fr. Foeniculi Xiao Hui Xiang both treat testicular swelling from Cold-Dampness as well as lower abdominal masses, prolapse and pain in women; they warm the Liver and dispel Cold from the Lower Jiao to stop pain. Li Zhi He dredges Cold from the Liver channel more strongly and acts on both Qi and Blood. Xiao Hui Xiang also enters the Kidney and Spleen channels, warming the Middle and relieving nausea, and it is far more aromatic and warming.

Li Zhi He (lychee pit): Lychee pit infusion goes to the genitourinary area for urinary pressure; decocted it treats testicular swelling — daily tea for benign prostate swelling. (Yuen)