Qing Xiang Zi - 青葙子 - Semen Celosiae

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Semen Celosiae
Common English:	Celosia Seed Feather Cockscomb Seed Silver Quail-Grass Seed

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Sweet (Bitter)	Slightly Cold (Cool) (Cold)	Liver	3-15g Tincture: 2-4ml

Actions

Indications/Syndromes

Clears Wind-Heat, drains Liver Fire and improves the vision

Wind-Heat affecting the eyes, with red, swollen eyes

Liver Fire affecting the eyes, corneal opacity

Treats hypertension

Hypertension associated with Liver Yang Rising or Liver Fire

Headache from Wind-Heat

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Contraindicated for those with dilated pupils or elevated eye pressure, e.g. glaucoma.
Use with caution for those with Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold.
Use with caution for those with Qi and/or Yang Deficiency.
Use with caution for those with Liver or Kidney Deficiency.

INCOMPATIBILITIES

HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua Rx. Gentianae Long Dan Cao	Sm. Cassiae Jue Ming Zi Flos Buddlejae Mi Meng Hua	Sm. Cassiae Jue Ming Zi Sp. Prunellae Xia Ku Cao
Eye pain, redness and swelling due to Liver Fire	Impaired or blurred vision	Redness, swelling and pain of the eyes due to Liver Fire
Flos Buddlejae Mi Meng Hua Hb. Equiseti Hiemalis Mu Zei	Fr. Jujube Da Zao	Sp. Prunellae Xia Ku Cao Ram. Uncariae cum Uncis Gou Teng Concha Haliotidis Shi Jue Ming
Redness, swelling and pain of the eyes due to Wind-Heat	Night blindness	Hypertension caused by liver fire
Sm. Cassiae Jue Ming Zi Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin Sp. Prunellae Xia Ku Cao
Headache due to Liver Fire

It strongly clears Fire from the Liver channel, benefiting the eyes and ears.
Qi is directed downward by this herb.
Superficial visual obstruction is removed by it.
It causes the pupils to dilate, and may be used alone when Wind-Heat causes the pupils to contract.
It works best on Excess-type Liver channel Fire, which is why it brightens the eyes and reduces superficial visual obstruction.
Eye disorders from Liver Fire are its most common indication.
It acts as an antiphlogistic.
Externally, it is applied for skin conditions and trauma.
For epistaxis it can be placed topically in the nostrils.
According to one source, it should not be given to children under 18 years old.
Qing Xiang Zi and Sm. Cassiae Jue Ming Zi both improve vision. Jue Ming Zi is bitter, sweet, salty and cold, giving it a wider therapeutic range that includes nourishing Liver and Kidney Yin, moistening the Intestines and dispersing Wind-Heat. Because it nourishes Liver and Kidney Yin it can be used for both Excess and deficient eye disorders or headache, and it is the better choice when constipation is present. Qing Xiang Zi is limited to eye disorders from Excess Heat. It is bitter and cold, drains Fire in the Liver channel and disperses Wind-Heat from the Blood level of the Jue Yin channels. It clears superficial visual obstruction and dilates the pupils, and may be used alone for this when Wind-Heat in the Liver channel makes the pupils contract.