Fructus Corni

Naming

Shan Zhu Yu (Fructus Corni)——Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal)

The Processing of Fructus Corni

Origin

The ripe pulp of the perennial woody plant Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. of the family Cornaceae.

Location

Zhejiang, Henan and Anhui provinces in China.

Harvest

Plucked in late autumn or early winter.

The actual smell and taste

Slight smell, sour, astringent, slightly bitter.

Best quality

Thick flesh, soft, purplish red.

Processing

Baked by mild fire, or dipped in boiling water. Squeezed the score out timely and dried.

The Effect of Fructus Corni

Property

Sour, slightly warm; liver and kidney meridians entered.

Actions

Tonify liver and kidney, secure essence and astringe sweat, stop bleeding.

Indications

A. Insufficiency of liver and kidney

It is sour, warm but not dry in nature, mildly tonifying. It is an important herb to tonify yin and yang evenly for it can tonify liver and kidney, especially nourish essence. For dizziness, dizzy vision, lumbar soreness and tinnitus due to liver and kidney yin deficiency, it is combined with yin tonics, for instance, it is used with Shu Di Huang and Shan Yao in the formula Liu Wei Di Huang Wan from Xiao Er Yao Zheng Zhi Jue. For lumbar soreness, intolerance of cold, difficult urination and frequent urination, it is combined with the middle-warming and yang-tonifying herbs. For instance, it is used with Rou Gui and Fu Zi in the formula Shen Qi Wan from Jin Kui Yao Lue. For impotence due to kidney yang deficiency, it is combined with kidney yang tonics to relieve impotence. For instance, it is used with Bu Gu Zhi, Ba Ji Tian and Yin Yang Huo.

B. Seminal emission, spermatorrhea, enuresis, frequent urination

It can tonify kidney and essence, and also secure essence and reduce urination. Therefore, it is an important herb for astringing essence to relieve emission, just for it can treat both the branch and root of emission due to kidney deficiency. For seminal emission due to kidney yin deficiency, it is combined with yin-nourishing and kidney-tonifying herbs. For instance, it is used with Shu Di Huang, Gou Qi Zi and Shan Yao. For seminal emission, spermatorrhea and impotence due to kidney yang deficiency, it is combined with kidney-warming herbs and astringents. For instance, it is used with Bu Gu Zhi and Dang Gui in the formula Cao Huan Dan from Fu Shou Jing Fang (Essential Prescriptions of Longevitive Life Preservation). For enuresis, frequent urination due to kidney deficiency and insecurity of bladder, it is combined with kidney tonics and astringents. For instance, it is used with Fu Pen Zi, Jin Ying Zi, and Sang Piao Xiao.

C. Metrorrhagia and metrostaxis

It can tonify liver and kidney, strengthen thoroughfare and conception vessels, astringe to stop bleeding. For metrorrhagia and metrostaxis due to liver and kidney deficiency, insecurity of thoroughfare and conception vessels, it is combined with herbs to tonify liver ans kidney, regulate menorrhea. For instance, it is used with Shu Di Huang, Bai Shao and Dang Gui in the formula Jia Wei Si Wu Tang from Fu Qing Zhu Nv Ke. For metrostaxis clue to spleen qi deficiency and insecurity of thoroughfare and conception vessels, it is combined with herbs to tonify qi and stop bleeding. For instance, it is used with Huang Qi, Bai Zhu, Wu Wei Zi and Zong Lv Tan in the formula Gu Chong Tang from Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu.

D. Profuse sweating and collapse due to deficiency

It can astringe to stop sweating. For original qi collapse due to sweating, collapse of deficiency due to long-term disease, it is combined with qi-tonifying and yang-restoring herbs. For instance, it is used with Ren Shen, Fu Zi, and Long Gu in the formula Lai Fu Tang from Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu.

Besides, it is also indicated for diabetes when combined with yin-nourishing and fluid-producing herbs. For instance, it is used with Tian Hua Fen, and Sheng Di Huang.

Dosage and Administrations

Decoct 5~10 g. 20~30 g for securing collapse and first aid.