Cypress
Profile
| Latin Name | Cupressus sempervirens |
| Chinese Name | Ce Bai |
| Family | Cupressaceae |
| Note | Middle-Base |
| Aroma | <Soft> Spicy, Pine like |
| Color | Clear to Pale-Yellow |
| Parts Distilled | Needles, twigs (sometimes cones) |
| Regions | France, Italy, North Africa, Portugal, Spain |
| Taste | Bitter (very drying) |
| Nature | Slightly cooling |
| Affinity | KI, LU, SP |
| Major Chemical Constituents | Terpenes (monoterpenes ~35-55%), including traces of diterpenes; ketone (cymene) |
| Skin Type | Oily |
| Dosage | 5% dilution |
TCM Categories
Functions
- Transforms dampness and clears Lung heat
- Astringes fluid discharge (more astringent than witch hazel) for leakage of qi – through sweat, urine, diarrhea, menses
- Strongly Ascends Spleen qi for prolapse, hemorrhoids, varicose veins
- Assists the Kidney to grasp Lung qi; can arrest wheezing and bedwetting. Good for heat-type wheezing, vents heat and astringes the water. For cough with LU heat
Indications
- Kidney Not Grasping Lung Qi with wheezing, frequent urination, sweat easily (KI-7, KI-3, BL-23, LU-I)
Topical Applications
- Add to blends for cellulite due to its ability to transform dampness.
- Add to blends for hemorrhoids and varicosity.
- Deodorant for sweaty feet.
- LU 7
Specific Protocols
- Apply direct to LU-7 during periods of loss and mourning.
- Apply a 5% dilution of Cypress (50%), Benzoin (20%), and Pine (30%) for Deficient Lung Qi. This blend is also good for LU/LI divergents.
- Apply a 5% dilution of Cypress (40%), Myrtle (30%), and Bay Laurel (30%) for Damp-Cold Phlegm.
- Apply a 5% dilution of Cypress (30%), Pine (30%), and Roman Chamomile (40%) for Deficient Lung Yin.
- Apply a 5% dilution of Cypress (30%), Atlas Cedar (30%), and Eucalyptus citriodora (40%) for Lung Heat.
Actions
- Astringent
- Sedative
- Antispasmodic
- Diuretic
Contraindications & Cautions
- Cautious with hypertension
- Breast and prostate cancer (astringent quality)
Notes
- Helps one come to terms with grief and accept loss; dampness from dwelling on the past
- Historically cypress is planted around graveyards
- Strong to bring the treatment into the constitution (astringent nature and KD affinity)
- Strong astringent; pulls and squeezes water out, bringing it to the bone
- Good for somebody with the fear of death
- Astringency can clear damp and heat and may prevent the metastasis of certain types of cancer
- Has steroidal properties and energizes the kidneys, so be careful with hormonal cancers
- Possibly good for the divergent channel: it has the wei qi connection as well as the deep KD connection, with astringency to the bone level
- An essential oil with a wide range of uses
Additional Comments
- Its astringency may prevent the metastatic activity of tumors and pestilent qi. Due to its diterpenes (steroid-like chemicals), it is contraindicated for breast and prostate cancer.
- Cypress can be added to blends for Emptiness of the Luo Vessels
From Class
- Wood scents — sandalwood, cedar, cypress, pine, Palo Santo: Wood oils invoke/invite spirits to help the deceased's journey; burned, used as oils, or decocted to bathe and soften the body's residual tension. (Yuen)