☯ TCM Properties
Unblocks the channels and collaterals, d isperses clumps, cools Blood Heat to reduce swelling and a lleviates pain
Traditional Chinese Uses
Ma Qian Zi (Semen Strychni) is the seed of Strychnos nux-vomica, classed among external-application substances. Bitter and cold and considered extremely toxic, it unblocks the channels and collaterals, disperses clumps and nodules, reduces swelling and strongly alleviates pain. It is used for Wind-Damp painful obstruction, numbness and paralysis, and traumatic injury, and applied to yin-type sores, abscesses, scrofula and other stubborn swellings; the processed powder is sometimes blown into the throat for severe sore throat.
The seed contains strychnine and is genuinely poisonous. It must never be used raw internally: it is dry-fried (or processed in oil) and given only as a tiny, carefully measured powdered dose within strict limits, or used topically. Overdose causes convulsions and can be fatal. It is contraindicated in pregnancy and requires close professional supervision.
Botanical Description
Strychnos nux-vomica is a small deciduous tree of the Loganiaceae, native to the dry deciduous forests of India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and parts of Southeast Asia, reaching about 10–13 m. The bark is grey and the wood pale, hard, and bitter. Opposite, glossy ovate leaves 5–10 cm long display three to five prominent palmate veins. Small greenish-white tubular flowers appear in terminal cymes, succeeded by orange to scarlet globose berries 4–6 cm across, each containing several flat, disc-shaped grey-velvety seeds about 2 cm in diameter. The seeds are the medicinal organ and the source of the alkaloids strychnine and brucine. The substance is extremely toxic in the raw state; all medicinal preparations across traditions require careful detoxification (oil frying, sand-roasting, or prolonged decoction in milk).
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| poultice | As needed | 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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