Kui Shu Zi
StarLivistona chinensis (Jacq.) R.Br. ex Mart.
Synonyms: Latania chinensis Jacq., Livistona subglobosa (Hassk.) Mart., Saribus chinensis (Jacq.) Blume
☯ TCM Properties
Cools Blood and stops bleeding
Traditional Chinese Uses
Kui Shu Zi (also Pu Kui Zi) is the seed of the Chinese fan palm, Livistona chinensis. Bitter and cold, it is classified among substances that regulate the Blood, cooling the Blood to stop bleeding while also invigorating Blood, dispelling stasis, and softening and dispersing hardened masses and nodules. Its most prominent traditional and folk use, especially in Guangdong and southern China, is for abdominal accumulations and lumps (zheng jia), chronic hepatitis, and as a folk anti-cancer remedy, where it is often decocted alone or combined with other blood-moving and toxicity-resolving herbs.
This anti-tumor reputation rests largely on folk practice and preliminary laboratory studies of antiproliferative and anti-angiogenic activity; it is not an evidence-based cancer treatment and should not replace conventional oncological care.
Botanical Description
Kui Shu Zi is the mature seed of Livistona chinensis (Arecaceae), the Chinese fan palm. This solitary evergreen palm reaches 10 to 15 metres, with a grey, closely ringed trunk crowned by large, glossy, costapalmate (fan-shaped) leaves up to 1.5 metres across, their many segments splitting and drooping gracefully at the tips; the petioles are armed with recurved spines toward the base. Branched inflorescences emerge among the leaves, bearing small bisexual yellowish flowers. The fruit is an ellipsoid to ovoid drupe about 1.5 to 2.5 centimetres long, blue-green ripening to blue-black, each containing a single hard seed. The dried seeds are the part used medicinally.
Occurs in and around subtropical broadleaf forests, hillsides and villages in southern China and neighbouring regions; extensively cultivated as an ornamental and street palm.
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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