Fructus Psoraleae
The Processing of Fructus Psoraleae
Origin
The ripe fruit of the annual herbaceous plants Psoralea corylifolia L. of family Fulse.
Location
Mainly produced in Sichuan, Henan and Anhui provinces in China.
Harvest
Collected the ripe fruit in autumn.
The actual smell and taste
Fragrant, pungent and slightly bitter.
Best quality
Black, large and full.
Processing
Unprocessed, stirred or stir-baked with salt solution.
The Effect of Fructus Psoraleae
Property
Sweet, bitter, astringent, warm; kidney, spleen and lung meridians entered.
Actions
Warm kidney and tonify yang, secure essence and reduce urination, and warm spleen to check diarrhea, relieve dyspnea.
Indications
A. Seminal emission, spermatorrhea, enuresis and frequent urination due to deficiency of kidney yang
It is very indicated for seminal emission, spermatorrhea, enuresis and frequent urination due to insecurity of kidney deficiency, because it can tonify kidney yang. It is warm and dry in property and very strong in action of tonifying yang and it also can secure essence and reduce urination, therefore, it treats both the branch and root of the disease for its warming, tonifying and astringing action. It could be used singly or combined with other herbs of tonifying kidney yang, securing essence and reducing urination, for instance, it is used with Tu Si Zi, Lu Jiao Jiao, Lu Jiao Shuang and Yi Zhi Ren.
B. Impotence due to kidney yang deficiency, cold-pain in lumbar and knees
It is suitable for impotence, cold-pain, atrophy-flaccidity and limpness in lumbar and knees due to kidney yang deficiency, because it can tonify kidney yang to treat impotence, tonify kidney to strengthen lumbar. It is commonly combined with herbs to tonify kidney yang, strengthen tendons and bones. For impotence due to kidney yang deficiency, it is combined with Tu Si Zi, Hu Tao Rou, Fu Zi and so on in the formula Bu Gu Zhi Wan from He Ji Ju Fang. For cold-pain in lumbar and knees due to kidney yang deficiency and attacking by wind-cold, it is combined with Du Zhong and Hu Tao Rou in the formula Qing E Wan.
C. Diarrhea before dawn due to deficiency of spleen and kidney yang
It is indicated for diarrhea before dawn due to deficiency cold of spleen and kidney, because it can tonify kidney yang to supplement, warm spleen yang to check diarrhea. It is commonly combined with herbs to tonify kidney, warm spleen, and astringe intestines to check diarrhea, for instance, it is used with Rou Dou Kou, Wu Wei Zi and Wu Zhu Yu in the formula Si Shen Wan from Nei Ke Zhai Yao (Abstract of Internal Medicine).
D. Dyspnea of deficiency type due to failure of kidney to receive qi
It can relieve dyspnea through tonifying kidney to receive qi. For dyspnea of deficiency type due to failure of kidney to receive qi caused by kidney yang deficiency, or both deficiency of lung and kidney. It can treat both the branch and the root of the disease, and it is combined with herbs of tonifying lung and kidney, receiving qi and relieving dyspnea, for instance, it is used with Ren Shen, Hu Tao Rou and Chen Xiang.
Besides, the combined use of internal and external of this herb can treat tinea versicolor.
Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 5~10 g. Stir-baked with salt can enhance its action of tonifying kidney because it can guide the herb into kidney meridian.