Jie Gu Mu
StarSambucus williamsii Hance
☯ TCM Properties
Dispels Wind-Dampness and Unblocks the Collaterals; Invigorates Blood and Alleviates Pain; Strengthens the Sinews and Bones; Promotes Urination and Reduces Edema; Stops Bleeding
Traditional Chinese Uses
Jie Gu Mu (sambucus stem and leaf, elderberry plant) is a warm, sweet herb used in Chinese medicine to invigorate Blood, dispel Wind-Damp, and reduce swelling. Its primary application is for traumatic injuries with swelling and pain, fractures, and joint pain from Wind-Damp obstruction. Topically, it is applied for inflammatory skin conditions and as a poultice for bone injuries. Its combined Blood-activating and Wind-expelling properties make it useful in orthopedic and traumatology-related herbal protocols.
Botanical Description
Sambucus williamsii, the Chinese elder, is a large deciduous shrub or small tree of the Adoxaceae family, typically reaching 3 to 6 m in height, with stout greyish stems and a soft white pith. The bark of older trunks is fissured and corky. Leaves are opposite, pinnately compound with five to seven (rarely more) leaflets that are ovate-lanceolate, 5 to 15 cm long, finely serrated, with an asymmetric base and an unpleasant odor when bruised. Small creamy-white five-merous flowers are borne in dense conical panicles 5 to 12 cm across in late spring. The fruit is a small globose drupe about 4 to 5 mm in diameter, ripening from green through red to glossy black-purple, containing three to five hard pyrenes. It is native to deciduous forests and ravines across China, Korea, and far eastern Russia.
Active Constituents
(+)-Pinoresinol
Furofuran lignanConcentration: Characteristic bioactive lignan of the twigs
Isolated from S. williamsii with documented antifungal activity; as a phytoestrogenic lignan it also stimulates osteoblastic proliferation, supporting the herb's bone-strengthening use.
(-)-Syringaresinol
Furofuran lignanConcentration: Major twig/stem lignan
A phytoestrogen-type lignan shown to promote proliferation of osteoblast-like UMR106 cells, a proposed mechanism for the anti-osteoporotic and fracture-healing effects.
(-)-Lariciresinol
Dibenzylbutane lignanConcentration: Twig lignan
Antioxidant lignan and precursor of the enterolignans enterodiol/enterolactone after gut-microbial metabolism, contributing to weak oestrogenic and bone-protective activity.
Sambucunol A / Sambucunol B
Lignans (novel)Concentration: Minor species-specific lignans
New lignans isolated from the bioactive fraction of S. williamsii twigs reported to stimulate osteoblastic cell proliferation.
Ursolic acid / Oleanolic acid
Pentacyclic triterpene acidsConcentration: Minor terpenoid constituents
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic triterpenes that support the traditional use for Wind-Damp pain and joint disease.
Caffeic acid / Protocatechuic acid
Phenolic acidsConcentration: Common phenolic constituents
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phenolic acids that scavenge free radicals and contribute to tissue-protective effects.
Chlorogenic acid
Phenolic acid (caffeoylquinic acid)Concentration: Phenolic constituent
Antioxidant polyphenol common to Sambucus species that adds to the anti-inflammatory profile of the twig extract.
alpha-Amyrin
TriterpenoidConcentration: Trace terpenoid
Anti-inflammatory triterpene found among the terpenoid fraction of the plant.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Estrogen therapy / hormone-modulating drugs (HRT, tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors)
The bone-active lignans of S. williamsii (pinoresinol, syringaresinol) are phytoestrogens that can weakly bind estrogen receptors, so concentrated lignan-rich extracts could theoretically add to or interfere with hormone-modulating therapy.
Clinical note: No human interaction data exist; use caution in estrogen-sensitive conditions and discuss high-dose supplement use with a clinician. No pharmacokinetic drug interactions have been documented for the crude herb.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 9-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
Preparation Methods
Decoction
Parts: Twigs (Ramulus), Stems
Decoct 15-30 g of the dried twigs/stems in water to dispel Wind-Dampness, unblock the collaterals, invigorate Blood and strengthen sinews and bones; used for bone fractures, joint pain and arthritis.
External wash / poultice
Parts: Twigs, Leaves
Prepare a strong decoction as a warm wash, or mash fresh material into a poultice, applied over fractures, sprains and traumatic swellings to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
Medicinal wine / tincture
Parts: Twigs
Steep the twigs in rice wine or alcohol to make a warming liniment or internal tonic for chronic Wind-Damp Bi pain and to support bone and sinew. Note: Sambucus tissues can contain cyanogenic and other constituents, so use processed material and avoid excessive raw doses.
Clinical Studies
A Metabolomics Study on the Bone Protective Effects of a Lignan-Rich Fraction From Sambucus Williamsii Ramulus in Aged Rats
A lignan-rich fraction of S. williamsii twigs improved bone microarchitecture and reversed metabolic perturbations in aged rats, supporting the traditional anti-osteoporotic use. No human clinical trials of the herb have been published to date.
Historical Texts
Xinxiu Bencao (Tang Materia Medica / Newly Revised Materia Medica), Su Jing et al.
Tang dynasty (659 CE)Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen
Ming dynasty (1596 CE)References
- Xiao HH, Dai Y, Wong MS, Yao XS. Phytochemicals and potential health effects of Sambucus williamsii Hance (Jiegumu) . Chinese Medicine (2016) [DOI]
- Xiao HH, Zhang Y, Cooper R, et al.. A Metabolomics Study on the Bone Protective Effects of a Lignan-Rich Fraction From Sambucus Williamsii Ramulus in Aged Rats . Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018) [DOI]
- Hwang YH, Wong MS, Xiao HH, et al.. Lignans from Sambucus williamsii Protect Bone Via Microbiome . Current Osteoporosis Reports (2024) [DOI]
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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