Mao Mei
StarRubus parvifolius L.
Synonyms: Rubus triphyllus Thunb.
☯ TCM Properties
Dissipates Blood Stasis, removes toxicity, kills parasites and alleviates pain
Traditional Chinese Uses
Mao Mei (Herba Rubi Parvifolii) is the root, stem or whole plant of Rubus parvifolius, a folk medicinal of southern and eastern China. Sweet and sour in flavour and neutral in nature, it is used to invigorate and cool the Blood, dissipate Blood Stasis, clear Heat and resolve toxicity, disperse accumulations, promote urination and reduce swelling, and to relieve pain. Its tannin-rich tissues also give it an astringent, bleeding- and diarrhoea-checking action.
Traditional indications include enteritis and dysentery, jaundice and chronic hepatitis, hepatosplenomegaly, urinary tract infection and stones, rheumatic bone pain, and traumatic contusions with swelling and pain, for which it may be decocted internally or applied topically for sores and eczema. It is a country remedy rather than a mainstream classical herb, so it appears more in folk and regional practice than in the major materia medica formulas.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Mao Mei (茅莓), source of Herba/Radix Rubi Parvifolii, is Rubus parvifolius L. (Rosaceae), a scrambling deciduous shrub 0.5-2 m tall common on sunny hillsides, thickets, and roadside waste across China, Japan, Korea, and eastern Asia. The arching prickly stems bear pinnately compound leaves of three to five broadly rhombic, white-tomentose, doubly serrate leaflets. Small pink to rose five-petalled flowers form loose corymbs, ripening into hemispherical red aggregate fruits of juicy drupelets. The whole plant or root is used as the drug. Bitter, astringent, and cool, it dispels blood stasis, resolves toxicity, kills parasites, and relieves pain, used for traumatic injury, rheumatic pain, dysentery, hepatitis, and bleeding. It should not be confused with Mei/Wu Mei, the fruit of Prunus mume.
Sunny hillsides, scrub thickets, forest margins, roadsides, and waste ground at low to middle elevations.
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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