Qian Shi - 芡實 - Semen Euryales
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Semen Euryales |
| Common English: | Euryale Seeds Foxnut |
Category
Herbs that Stabilize and Bind (Astringents)Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sweet Astringent | Neutral | Kidneys Spleen (Stomach) | 8-30g Tincture: 2-4ml 9-15g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Strengthens the Spleen and stops diarrhea | Chronic diarrhea due to Spleen Deficiency (especially useful for children) Chronic diarrhea due to Internal Accumulation of Damp (weak transportation) |
Stabilizes the Kidneys and astringes Jing | Kidney Qi Deficiency with nocturnal emission, premature ejaculation, spermatorrhea and urinary incontinence or frequency |
Expels Dampness and stops discharge | Vaginal discharge due to either Deficiency or Damp-Heat |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
|
| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
| |
| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Sm. Nelumbinis | Sm. Lablab Album | Fr. Rosae Laevigatae |
Chronic diarrhea due to Spleen Deficiency. | Chronic diarrhea due to Spleen Deficiency with Dampness. | Vaginal discharge. Spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation, urinary frequency or vaginal discharge due to Kidney Deficiency. Tonifies Kidney Qi and strengthens Jing to treat cloudy urine or spermatorrhea. Loose stools and diarrhea due to Spleen Deficiency. |
| Fr. Rosae Laevigatae | Poria | Fr. Rosae Laevigatae |
Spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation and urinary frequency due to Kidney Deficiency with a stronger effect Vaginal discharge with a stronger effect. | Cloudy urine. | Profuse, clear vaginal discharge due to Spleen and Kidney Deficiency. With rice soup for spermatorrhea. |
| Sm. Cuscutae | Cx. Phellodendri | Fr. Corni |
Incontinence due to instability of the Kidney base. | Damp-Heat vaginal discharge. | Vaginal discharge due to Cold from Deficiency of the lower base. |
Sm. Ginkgo | Sm. Nelumbinis | Fr. Rosae Laevigatae |
Damp-Heat vaginal discharge. | Reestablishes communication between the Heart and Kidneys. Treats nocturnal emissions, premature ejaculation or urinary incontinence due to the failure of the Kidney's storage functions. Inhibits chronic diarrhea or dysentery, watery and thin vaginal discharge and turbid, painful urinary dysfunction due to Spleen Deficiency or Spleen and Kidney Deficiency. | Urinary incontinence. |
Fr. Rosae Laevigatae | ||
Proteinuria. |
Notes
- Formulas that address loss of body fluids and the failure of the Spleen and Kidneys to filter Dampness often include this herb.
- Its starch content resembles that of arrowroot, so it serves as a food, particularly during illness when digestion is weak.
- Chinese grocery stores sell it under the name foxnut.
- Qian Shi and Sm. Nelumbinis Lian Zi are both tonifying, binding seeds that share sweet, neutral and astringent properties. Each enters the Spleen and Kidneys, tonifying these organs and treating chronic diarrhea and spermatorrhea. Qian Shi additionally eliminates Dampness, making it the better choice for Deficiency disorders dominated by Dampness, such as vaginal discharge. Lian Zi nourishes the Heart, restores communication between the Heart and Kidneys, and treats incessant uterine bleeding.
- Dry-fried Euryales Seeds Chao Qian Shi have a warming quality that lets them tonify the Spleen and Kidneys while stabilizing and conserving. They are given for spermatorrhea caused by failure of the Jing Gate.
- Bran-fried Euryale Seeds Fu Chao Qian Shi are warm and have a stronger tonifying and stabilizing effect, particularly for chronic diarrhea from Spleen Deficiency.
From Class
- Astringents: Qian Shi (fox nut) vs kidney astringents; Wu Wei Zi: Postnatal astringents like Qian Shi stop spleen leakage; Wu Wei Zi brings the po back via lung-kidney; astringency 'buys time' and isn't used when helping someone leave. (Yuen)