Xiang Fu
StarCyperus rotundus L.
☯ 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).
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.
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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