Man Jing Zi
StarVitex trifolia L. var. simplicifolia Cham.
☯ TCM Properties
Disperses Wind-Heat; Clears the Head and Brightens the Eyes; Dispels Wind and Stops Pain; Drains Dampness and Expels Wind
Traditional Chinese Uses
Man Jing Zi (vitex fruit, chaste tree fruit) is a cool, pungent-bitter herb that clears Wind-Heat from the head and face, making it a primary herb for Wind-Heat headache — particularly dull, heavy headaches, migraines, and temporal headaches. It also clears Wind-Heat from the eyes for red, swollen, painful eyes, and addresses Liver Yang rising for dizziness, tinnitus, and vertex pain. Its affinity for the head makes it a standard ingredient in formulas addressing upper body Wind-Heat and Liver Yang patterns.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Vitex trifolia is an aromatic evergreen shrub or small tree in the Lamiaceae family reaching 1-6 m tall, native to coastal and inland tropical Asia, northern Australia, and Pacific islands. The young branches are quadrangular and densely covered with fine grey-felted hairs. Leaves are opposite and characteristically palmate with three (occasionally one or five) ovate to elliptic leaflets 2-9 cm long, dark grey-green and sparsely hairy above, white-tomentose below, releasing a sage-like fragrance when bruised. Lavender to bluish-violet two-lipped tubular flowers about 1 cm long are borne in terminal pyramidal panicles 8-18 cm long throughout much of the year. The fruit is a small globose drupe 4-6 mm across, ripening from green through reddish to black, hard and seed-like at maturity with a persistent enlarged calyx-cup; these dried fruits are Man Jing Zi.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | 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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