Yun Shi
StarCaesalpinia decapetala (Roth) Alston
Synonyms: Caesalpinia sepiaria Roxb., Biancaea decapetala (Roth) O.Deg.
☯ TCM Properties
Clears Heat, eliminates Dampness and kills parasites
Traditional Chinese Uses
Yun Shi (云实) is the seed of Caesalpinia decapetala (Fabaceae), Semen Caesalpiniae — a leguminous seed, decisively not the arsenical mineral 礜石 (arsenopyrite). Pungent and bitter with a warm nature, it enters the Lung and Large Intestine channels, where it clears Heat, eliminates Dampness and kills parasites.
Its chief traditional indications are chronic dysentery and diarrhea, recurrent malarial-type disorders, intestinal worms, and childhood malnutrition (gan ji). The astringent, anthelmintic and antipyretic qualities of the seed underlie these uses, and the wider plant is used in folk medicine for colds, fever and rheumatic pain. It is taken as a decoction or powder. Because it is warm and drying, it is used with care in patterns of Heat from Yin deficiency or where fluids are depleted.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Yun Shi (云实) is the ripe seed of Caesalpinia decapetala (Roth) Alston (Fabaceae; syn. Biancaea decapetala), a vigorous, prickly scrambling shrub or woody climber widespread south of the Yangtze and across tropical Asia. Stems and rachises bear stout, recurved prickles; the bipinnate leaves carry many small oblong leaflets, and showy racemes of five-petalled yellow flowers open in spring. The flat, woody, oblong pod, 6-12 cm long, splits at maturity to release several hard, smooth, dark brown to black seeds about 8-12 mm across. The seeds are gathered in autumn, sun-dried, and decocted in Chinese materia medica to clear heat, dispel dampness and expel intestinal parasites.
Thickets, forest margins, roadsides, hillsides and stream banks at low to middle elevations; a vigorous liana of warm-temperate to subtropical Asia.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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