Greenlife Chinese herb database - Semen Cassiae (Jue Ming Zi)
English Name
Flatstem Milkvetch Seed
Chinese Name
Picture

Semen Cassiae

Origin
Cassia Seed is the dried ripe seed of Cassia obtusifolia L. or Cassia tora L. (Fam. Leguminosae).
Nature and Affinity
It is sweet, bitter and salt to the taste, slightly cold in nature, and is distributed to the Liver and Large Intestine Channels.
Main Active Ingredient
Precaution
 
Storage
Preserve in a dry place.
herb DESCRIPTION
 

Semen Cassiae Obtusioliae Slightly rhomboidal-cuboid or shortly cylindrical, both ends pararell and oblique, 3~7 mm long, 2~4 mm wide. Externally greenish-brown or dark brown, smooth and lustrous. One end relatively even, the other end oblique and acuminate, dorsal and ventral surfaces exhibiting a raised rib respectively, with an obliquely symmetrical and paler-coloured dented line on each side of a rib. Texture hard and uneasily broken. Testa thin, cotyledons 2, yellow, S-shaped. Odour, slight; taste, slightly bitter.

Semen Cassiae Tarae Shortly cylindrical, relatively small, 3~5 mm long, 2~3 mm wide, with broad yellowish-brown bands on both sides of the rib.

herb ACTION
  To remove heat, to improve eyesight, and to relax bowels.
herb
INDICATIONS
 

Inflammation of the eye with pain, photophobia and lacrimination; headache, dizziness, blurred vision and constipation.

herb
REFERENTIAL ADVICE
 

1. Reducing liver-heat to brighten the eyes

It is indicated in bloodshot eyes with aversion of light and an overflow of light and an overflow of tears due to liver-heat or attack on the liver channel by wind-heat. For the treatment of syndrome of liver-heat, it may be combined with Spica Prunellae, Fructus Gardeniae; for syndrome of wind-heat, with Folium Mori, Flos Chrysanthemi. It is also used to treat advanced optic atrophy, internal oculopathy, blurred vision, eyes without luster; in these cases, it is often combined with Radix Rehmanniae, Fructus Lycii, Radix Scrophulariae, Rhizoma Dioscoreae, etc.

2. Lubrication the intestines and relieving constipation

For the treatment of constipation due to the dryness of intestines, it can be used as a single medicine, or combined with Fructus Cannabis, Semen Pruni, etc. Besides, it is also often used to treat headache, as one of the symptoms of hypertension due to hyperactivity of liver-Yang, and it has got effects.

herb
TIPS
  A very natural-acting laxative; safe and effective for chronic constipation; it also lowers blood pressure effectively.
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