San Cha Ku
StarMelicope pteleifolia (Champ. ex Benth.) T.G. Hartley
☯ TCM Properties
Clears Heat and Resolves Toxicity; Dispels Wind-Dampness; Reduces Swelling and Alleviates Pain; Dries Dampness and Stops Itching; Moves Qi and Alleviates Pain
Traditional Chinese Uses
San Cha Ku (evodia lepta, three-fork bitter) is a bitter, cold herb used in Chinese medicine to clear Heat toxin and dry Dampness. It addresses inflammatory and infectious conditions with Heat toxin accumulation, including jaundice from Damp-Heat, urinary tract infections, inflammatory skin conditions, and malaria-type fever patterns. Its bitter, draining nature also directs pathological Heat downward and out through the urine. As a member of the rutaceae family, it shares properties with other bitter citrus-family herbs.
Botanical Description
Melicope pteleifolia (syn. Euodia lepta) is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the Rutaceae family reaching 2 to 8 m in height, with smooth greyish-green bark and a strongly aromatic crushed-leaf scent characteristic of the family. Leaves are opposite, trifoliolate on a slender petiole; the leaflets are elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 6 to 15 cm long, entire-margined, glossy dark green above, paler beneath, and dotted with translucent oil glands visible against light. Small four-merous greenish-white to pale yellow flowers are borne in many-flowered axillary panicles; the species is functionally dioecious. The fruit is a cluster of one to four small follicles, each 3 to 5 mm across, dehiscing to release a single shining black seed. It grows in lowland and lower montane forests and thickets across southern China and Southeast Asia.
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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