Liu Ji Nu
StarArtemisia anomala S. Moore
☯ TCM Properties
Breaks Blood Stasis and Unblocks Menstruation; Invigorates Blood and Alleviates Pain; Stops bleeding and reduces swelling; Resolves Food Stagnation and Transforms Accumulations
Traditional Chinese Uses
Liu Ji Nu (siegesbeckia herb, artemisia anomala) is a bitter-pungent, warm herb used in Chinese medicine to invigorate Blood, disperse stasis, and relieve pain. It is used for traumatic injuries, menstrual pain and irregularity from Blood stagnation, postpartum abdominal pain, and wounds from toxin. Named after an ancient historical figure, it occupies a modest but consistent role in Chinese herbal medicine for stasis-related pain conditions. It also moves digestive Qi for food stagnation abdominal pain.
Botanical Description
Artemisia anomala is an erect perennial herb in the Asteraceae, native to central, eastern, and southern China and adjacent parts of Vietnam, growing in moist mountain valleys, forest margins, and along streams. From a slender creeping rhizome, ridged purplish stems rise 50-150 cm tall, branching above. The alternate leaves are ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, 7-15 cm long, with serrate to coarsely toothed margins, dark green and nearly glabrous above, paler beneath; the lower leaves are short-petiolate, the upper sessile. Small bell-shaped flower heads about 2 mm long are borne in dense narrow terminal panicles in late summer to autumn, each head containing several yellow disc florets and a few outer female florets. The dried flowering aerial parts constitute Liu Ji Nu.
Active Constituents
Flavonoids (e.g., eupatilin, apigenin, luteolin and their glycosides)
FlavonoidsConcentration: Major polyphenol class
A principal bioactive class of A. anomala; associated with the herb's antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet-aggregation activities.
Coumarins (scopoletin, esculetin, umbelliferone)
CoumarinsConcentration: Documented constituent class
Coumarins contribute to anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial actions and are characteristic markers of the Artemisia genus present in this species.
Sesquiterpene lactones (including artanomaloide and related eudesmanolides)
Sesquiterpene lactonesConcentration: Bioactive minor constituents
Cytotoxic sesquiterpene lactones isolated from A. anomala show antitumor and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro.
Caffeoylquinic acids / phenolic acids (e.g., chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid)
Phenylpropanoids / phenolic acidsConcentration: Common polar constituents
Phenylpropanoid acids contribute antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity and are used as analytical quality markers.
Volatile (essential) oil
Terpenoid volatile oilConcentration: Aromatic fraction of the aerial parts
The essential oil fraction carries antibacterial activity and part of the aromatic, Blood-moving character of the herb.
Triterpenoids
TriterpenoidsConcentration: Minor constituent class
Among the 125 compounds reported from the species; contribute to the anti-inflammatory profile.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel)
A. anomala has demonstrated anti-platelet aggregation activity and is a Blood-invigorating (Huo Xue) herb. Additive inhibition of platelet function or coagulation could theoretically increase bleeding risk when combined with antithrombotic drugs.
Clinical note: Use caution and monitor for bleeding in patients on anticoagulants/antiplatelets; based on pharmacological activity, not on clinical interaction reports.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
Preparation Methods
Decoction
Parts: Aerial parts (whole herb)
The dried aerial parts are decocted, typically 6-9 g per day, to break Blood stasis, invigorate Blood and relieve pain. CONTRAINDICATED in pregnancy owing to its strong Blood-moving action.
Topical powder / poultice
Parts: Aerial parts (whole herb)
Powdered herb is applied externally to wounds and traumatic injuries to stop bleeding and reduce swelling, reflecting its long traditional use as a wound-healing and hemostatic agent.
Clinical Studies
Artemisia anomala S. Moore: A review of botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and quality control
Comprehensive review summarizing 125 isolated compounds (flavonoids, coumarins, sesquiterpenoids, phenylpropanoids, volatile oil) and pharmacological evidence for anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, antiplatelet and antioxidant actions, with quality-control markers.
The ethanolic extract of Artemisia anomala exerts anti-inflammatory effects via inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome
In LPS-primed bone-marrow-derived macrophages, the ethanolic extract inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation and downstream IL-1beta release, providing a mechanistic basis for the herb's traditional use in inflammatory conditions.
Historical Texts
Kai Bao Ben Cao (Materia Medica of the Kaibao Era)
Northern Song dynasty, 973-974 CEBen Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen
Ming dynasty, 1596References
- Liu J, Xiong P, Huang L, Zhang W, Song L, Hu H, Jia B, Liu X. Artemisia anomala S. Moore: A review of botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and quality control . Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2023) [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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