Xiang Fu
StarCyperus rotundus L.
Traditionally used for
- Digestion
- Menstrual & women's health
☯ TCM Properties
Soothes the Liver and Regulates Qi; Regulates Qi and Broadens the Middle Burner; Regulates Menstruation and Alleviates Pain
Traditional Chinese Uses
Xiang Fu (cyperus rhizome) is the principal Qi-moving herb in Chinese medicine for Liver Qi stagnation affecting gynecological health. It regulates Liver Qi flow, eases emotional tension, harmonizes the middle burner, and regulates menstruation. It is used for irregular or painful menstruation, premenstrual breast distension, and the emotional and digestive symptoms of Liver-Spleen disharmony. Classical texts describe it as "the general herb for Qi" and "the primary herb for women's complaints."
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
The Paiute prepared the tubers as a food: the tubers were ground into meal and cooked as a cereal, and raw tubers were also eaten (Murphey 1990).
Pharmacological Effects
- Estrogenic: Essential oil (0.2 ml s.c. x2) produced vaginal keratinization in ovariectomized rats; oil, cyperene and cyperone acted intravaginally.
- Effect on the uterus: 5% liquid extract inhibited contractility and tension of isolated pregnant and nonpregnant uteri of several species.
- Antiinflammatory: Alcoholic extract 100 mg/kg i.p. inhibited carrageenin/formaldehyde paw edema in rats, stronger than 5–10 mg/kg hydrocortisone; triterpenes active.
- Antipyretic and analgesic: Alcoholic extract analgesic in mice; triterpene IV-B 5 mg/kg orally matched 30 mg/kg aspirin; antipyretic in yeast-fever rats, 6 times sodium salicylate.
- Effects on the intestines and bronchi: Alcoholic extract (20 mg/ml) inhibited isolated rabbit ileum and protected guinea pigs from histamine bronchospasm.
- Effect on the CNS: Alcoholic extract tranquillizing in mice (reduced activity, potentiated barbiturate), abolished conditioned avoidance in rats and prevented morphine-induced emesis.
- Cardiovascular: Alcoholic extract 20 mg/kg i.v. lowered blood pressure for 0.5–1 h; low concentrations of extracts were cardiotonic and bradycardic on frog, rabbit and cat hearts.
Source: Zhu YP. Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Applications. Harwood Academic, 1998, p. 384.
Relationships
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Botanical Description
Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu, nut grass, purple nutsedge) is a perennial sedge in the Cyperaceae family, growing 15 to 60 centimeters tall from a complex underground system of slender wiry stolons that link a chain of small, hard, ovoid to fusiform tubers (the medicinal Xiang Fu), each 1 to 3 centimeters long, externally dark brown to blackish with persistent fibrous scales and conspicuous transverse rings, internally pale yellowish-brown with a strong, sweet-pungent, characteristic aroma. The stems are sharply triangular in cross section (a defining feature of Cyperus) and unbranched, bearing at the base a tuft of glabrous, grass-like, linear leaves with prominent midribs. The inflorescence is a terminal umbel-like compound anthela of two to six unequal rays, each bearing reddish-brown to purplish-brown linear spikelets 1 to 3 centimeters long, subtended by leafy involucral bracts that exceed the inflorescence. Native across much of the warm-temperate, subtropical, and tropical world and a globally widespread agricultural weed.
Active Constituents
α-Cyperone
Eudesmane sesquiterpene ketoneConcentration: dominant component of the rhizome essential oil; 38.5% of the oil in Chinese material, but strongly chemotype-dependent
The best-characterised single molecule in Cyperi Rhizoma. It suppresses LPS-induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 release in RAW 264.7 macrophages through negative regulation of NF-κB, and produces antidepressant-like behaviour in mice via SIRT3/ROS-mediated deactivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Because oil composition varies several-fold between geographic chemotypes, the α-cyperone dose delivered by a given batch of Xiang Fu is not predictable from weight alone.
Cyperene
Sesquiterpene hydrocarbonConcentration: 12.8% of the rhizome essential oil in Chinese material; reported as the major component (about 38%) in Iranian-grown material
A principal volatile of the rhizome with no well-defined pharmacology of its own; it is used chiefly as a chemotype marker distinguishing Chinese from Middle Eastern and African populations of the species.
α-Selinene
Sesquiterpene hydrocarbonConcentration: about 11.7% of the rhizome essential oil in Chinese material
One of the three sesquiterpenes that together make up the bulk of the Chinese-type rhizome oil, alongside α-cyperone and cyperene.
Cyperotundone
Sesquiterpene ketoneConcentration: minor in Chinese oil; about 11% of the oil in the Iranian chemotype
A characteristic sedge sesquiterpene of the rhizome, and one of the compounds identified in docking work on the uterine-relaxant activity that underlies the herb's classical use in painful menstruation.
Isocyperol
Sesquiterpene alcoholIsolated from the rhizome, it inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 cells by suppressing NF-κB and STAT3 signalling and reducing ROS stress.
Piceatannol
Hydroxylated stilbeneA rhizome stilbene and the lead marker of the standardised Cyperus rotundus extract that has been taken into placebo-controlled weight-management trials. It is not a constituent of the crude decoction in comparable amounts, so trial results should not be read straight across to dispensed Xiang Fu.
Scirpusin A and scirpusin B
Stilbene dimersPiceatannol dimers used with piceatannol to standardise the commercial anti-obesity extract of the rhizome; they carry the anti-adipogenic activity reported in the preclinical arm of that work.
4α,5α-Oxidoeudesm-11-en-3-one
Eudesmane sesquiterpene oxideIsolated from the rhizome by bioassay-guided fractionation targeting oestrogenic activity, and reported to behave as a selective oestrogen receptor modulator in vitro. This is the only concrete molecular basis so far for caution about Xiang Fu in hormone-sensitive disease.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Tamoxifen and other selective oestrogen receptor modulators; oestrogen therapy
Bioassay-guided isolation from Cyperus rotundus rhizome identified 4α,5α-oxidoeudesm-11-en-3-one and related sesquiterpenes with selective oestrogen receptor modulator activity in vitro (Park 2019). There are no animal or human pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic interaction studies, and the concentration of these sesquiterpenes in a standard decoction is not established, so the concern is mechanistic only.
Clinical note: Reasonable to avoid concentrated or standardised Cyperus rotundus extracts in patients on tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor; short-course decoction doses of Xiang Fu within a classical formula have no evidence of harm but have also not been studied.
Weight-loss and lipid-lowering agents (orlistat, statins)
Two placebo-controlled trials of a standardised Cyperus rotundus rhizome extract reported reductions in body weight, BMI and lipid measures over 90 days. The effect is additive rather than pharmacokinetic, and was seen with a defined extract rather than crude rhizome.
Clinical note: No dose change is needed, but recheck lipids and weight if a patient adds a commercial Cyperus rotundus slimming extract on top of drug therapy, and do not let the herb substitute for a statin.
CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein substrates, where a Cyperus rotundus product is co-formulated with piperine
The commercial Cyperus rotundus extracts used in the published weight-management trials are dosed together with 5 mg of piperine as a bioavailability enhancer. Piperine is a well-documented inhibitor of CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein; Cyperus rotundus itself has no published CYP inhibition data either way. The hazard therefore travels with the formulation, not with the herb.
Clinical note: Read the label. A piperine-containing Cyperus rotundus capsule should be treated as a piperine interaction risk for narrow-therapeutic-index CYP3A4 substrates; plain decocted Xiang Fu carries no such documented risk.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6–10 g | Daily | — | — | 中国药典 2020 【用法与用量】6~10g。 【性味与归经】辛、微苦、微甘，平。归肝、脾、三焦经。 — Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020, quoted verbatim; route and cautions preserved. Replaces a cleared category-filler value. |
Dui Yao — Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations this herb appears in, each with an action neither herb has alone.
Together they warm the uterus and disperse cold while regulating Liver qi, relieving lower abdominal pain from cold and qi stagnation.
Cold uterus with painful, irregular menstruation, leukorrhea or infertility.
Core pair of a classical formula — Ai Fu Nuan Gong Wan, Ren Zhai Zhi Zhi Fang (Yang Shiying)
Together they strongly spread liver qi and relieve hypochondriac pain and distention.
Liver qi stagnation with hypochondriac pain and irritability.
Core pair of a classical formula — Chai Hu Shu Gan San, Zheng Zhi Zhun Sheng (citing Yi Xue Tong Zhi)
Warming the middle and dispersing cold is combined with spreading liver qi, treating epigastric pain from cold and qi stagnation.
Core pair of a classical formula — Liang Fu Wan, Liang Fang Ji Ye
The pair moves qi and relieves pain through the chest, abdomen and lower burner.
Core pair of a classical formula — Qing Nang Wan, Han Shi Yi Tong (Han Mao)
The pair releases the exterior while moving qi, treating wind-cold with internal qi stagnation.
Chills and fever with chest and epigastric fullness and poor appetite.
Core pair of a classical formula — Xiang Su San, Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang
Evidence Tier
Moderate evidence · 7 studiesRecorded studies by study design, strongest design at the top. This is a study-design tier only, not a GRADE rating: it does not weigh risk of bias, consistency or precision.
Systematic review / meta-analysis
0
Randomized controlled trial
2
1 verified · 1 unverified
Show 2 studies
Other clinical trial
0
Observational / case report
0
In vitro / animal
5
1 verified · 4 unverified
Show 5 studies
- α-Cyperone, isolated from the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus, inhibits LPS-induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 production through the negative regulation of NFκB signalling in RAW 264.7 cells
- α-Cyperone Confers Antidepressant-Like Effects in Mice via Neuroplasticity Enhancement by SIRT3/ROS Mediated NLRP3 Inflammasome Deactivation
- Study on the enhanced efficacy mechanism of vinegar-processed Cyperus rotundus in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea
- Sesquiterpenes from Cyperus rotundus and 4α,5α-oxidoeudesm-11-en-3-one as a potential selective estrogen receptor modulator
- Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, DNA Damage Protective, Cytotoxic and Antibacterial Activities of Cyperus rotundus Rhizomes Essential Oil against Foodborne Pathogens
Other / unclassified
0
Verified: design read from PubMed for a DOI that resolves to the cited paper Unverified: taken from the study's recorded description
Clinical Studies
Efficacy and safety of Cyperus rotundus extract on weight management in obese individuals: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Ninety-six obese participants took 500 mg of a standardised Cyperus rotundus rhizome extract with 5 mg piperine twice daily, or placebo, for 90 days alongside a prescribed diet and exercise regimen. Anthropometric endpoints were body weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference and waist-hip ratio. Note that the intervention is a defined extract co-dosed with piperine, not the crude decocted rhizome dispensed as Xiang Fu.
The Anti-Obesity Potential of Cyperus rotundus Extract Containing Piceatannol, Scirpusin A and Scirpusin B Rhizomes: Preclinical and Clinical Evaluations
Preclinical anti-adipogenic work followed by a pilot randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group study in overweight subjects. The rhizome extract standardised on piceatannol and scirpusins A and B was reported to be well tolerated and to improve weight and cholesterol measures. Pilot scale and a commercial sponsor both limit how far this can be generalised.
α-Cyperone, isolated from the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus, inhibits LPS-induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 production through the negative regulation of NFκB signalling in RAW 264.7 cells
α-Cyperone isolated from Cyperus rotundus rhizome suppressed COX-2 protein expression and PGE2 output in LPS-stimulated murine macrophages, with the effect traced to downregulation of NF-κB signalling. This is the principal mechanistic support for the anti-inflammatory activity attributed to the rhizome.
α-Cyperone Confers Antidepressant-Like Effects in Mice via Neuroplasticity Enhancement by SIRT3/ROS Mediated NLRP3 Inflammasome Deactivation
α-Cyperone improved depressive phenotypes in mice across the sucrose preference, tail suspension and forced swimming tests. Hippocampal SIRT3 rose, ROS fell, and NLRP3 inflammasome proteins including ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18 and GSDMD-N were downregulated, with enhanced neuroplasticity markers. Animal data only; no human antidepressant trial of Xiang Fu supports this.
Study on the enhanced efficacy mechanism of vinegar-processed Cyperus rotundus in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea
Compares raw against vinegar-processed (cu zhi) Cyperus rotundus in a primary dysmenorrhoea model, supporting the classical claim that vinegar processing enhances the analgesic and blood-moving action of the rhizome. Practitioners should treat cu Xiang Fu and raw Xiang Fu as different preparations, as Li Shizhen already did.
Sesquiterpenes from Cyperus rotundus and 4α,5α-oxidoeudesm-11-en-3-one as a potential selective estrogen receptor modulator
Bioassay-guided isolation from the methanol extract of the rhizome yielded six sesquiterpenes screened for oestrogenic activity; 4α,5α-oxidoeudesm-11-en-3-one was the most potent and behaved as a selective oestrogen receptor modulator. This is the basis for the theoretical caution in hormone-sensitive disease.
Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, DNA Damage Protective, Cytotoxic and Antibacterial Activities of Cyperus rotundus Rhizomes Essential Oil against Foodborne Pathogens
GC-MS of the rhizome essential oil found α-cyperone at 38.46%, cyperene at 12.84% and α-selinene at 11.66%, with zierone, campholenic aldehyde, α-pinene and limonene as minor components. The oil showed antioxidant, DNA-protective, cytotoxic and antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens.
⚠ Safety & Contraindications
Contraindications
Its use is prohibited in patients with qi deficiency, no stagnation, or blood heat due to yin deficiency.
Source: Xi S, Gong Y. Essentials of Chinese Materia Medica and Medical Formulas. Academic Press/Elsevier, 2017, pp. 171–182.
Historical Texts
Xin Xiu Ben Cao
Tang dynasty, 659 CEBen Cao Gang Mu
Ming dynasty, 1596References
- Wang F, Zhang S, Zhang J, Yuan F. Systematic review of ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of Cyperi Rhizoma . Frontiers in Pharmacology (2022) [DOI]
- Lu J, Li W, Gao T, Wang S, Fu C, Wang S. The association study of chemical compositions and their pharmacological effects of Cyperi Rhizoma (Xiangfu), a potential traditional Chinese medicine for treating depression . Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2022) [DOI]
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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