Feng Wei Jiao Ye

Star

Cycas revoluta Thunb.

Family: Cycadaceae Genus: Cycas Species: revoluta Pinyin: Feng Wei Jiao Ye

Synonyms: Cycas miquelii Warb.

Sago Leaf

☯ TCM Properties

Category: regulating qi
Temperature: warm
Taste: sweet, sour
Meridians: liver, stomach
Functions:

Regulates Qi, invigorates the Blood, breaks up Blood Stasis, dispels Wind and eliminates toxins

Traditional Chinese Uses

Feng Wei Jiao Ye (also Tie Shu Ye, "iron-tree leaf") is the leaf of Cycas revoluta, the sago cycad (Folium Cycadis Revolutae). Warm in nature and entering the liver and stomach channels, it regulates qi and invigorates the blood, breaks up blood stasis and stops pain, disperses swelling, and resolves toxicity; in folk use it is also taken to stop bleeding (such as vomiting of blood) and to relieve cough. It is applied to blood-stasis pain, epigastric and abdominal discomfort, swellings and sores.

Safety: cycads contain cycasin, which gut bacteria convert to a carcinogenic, hepatotoxic and neurotoxic compound; the seeds are especially poisonous. This substance should be used only cautiously under qualified supervision.

Botanical Description

Feng Wei Jiao Ye is the leaf (frond) of Cycas revoluta (Cycadaceae), the sago cycad, an evergreen gymnosperm of coastal southern Japan and south-east China. A stout, columnar, unbranched trunk is crowned by a spreading rosette of stiff, glossy dark-green pinnate leaves 0.5-2 m long; the numerous narrow, leathery leaflets have strongly revolute margins and sharp-pointed tips, giving the phoenix-tail appearance. The plant is dioecious, bearing a dense terminal cone (male) or a mass of woolly megasporophylls (female). The dried fronds are used in TCM to regulate qi, invigorate the blood, resolve stasis and stop pain, and reduce swelling and detoxify. Seeds and stem pith are toxic.

Habitat:

Coastal thickets and rocky slopes; very widely cultivated as an ornamental.

Native Region: Japan, China

Dosage

FormAmount Frequency Duration Population Notes
decoction 3-9g 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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