☯ TCM Properties
Cools Heat, resolves toxicity, expels Dampness, cools the Blood and kills parasites; Treats malaria; Treats cancer caused by Toxic Heat; Softens hardness
Traditional Chinese Uses
Ya Dan Zi is the ripe fruit of Brucea javanica (Simaroubaceae), an intensely bitter, cold, toxic herb that clears Heat, resolves toxicity, dries Dampness, cools the Blood, and kills parasites. Its two classic indications are chronic and amoebic dysentery with blood and pus, and malaria (jie nue), for which the seed kernels are swallowed whole—wrapped in longan flesh or in capsules rather than decocted—to spare the mouth and gut from irritation. Topically, the crushed white kernel is applied over days to erode warts and corns; it is also used adjunctively for certain Toxic-Heat masses. The herb is toxic with a narrow margin: only a small counted number of seeds is used, never chewed, and overdose causes vomiting, abdominal pain, and liver and kidney injury. It is contraindicated in pregnancy, in weak patients, and in existing liver, kidney, or GI-bleeding disease, and must be given only under expert supervision.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Ya Dan Zi is the ripe dried fruit of Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. (Simaroubaceae), a small evergreen shrub or small tree 1 to 3 m tall of southern China, Taiwan, and tropical Southeast Asia. The plant bears pinnately compound leaves with serrate ovate-lanceolate leaflets and dense panicles of tiny purple-green dioecious flowers that develop into ovoid drupes about 6 to 10 mm long, black-brown when ripe with a thin brittle pericarp enclosing a single oily kernel. WARNING: The fruit is bitter and toxic owing to quassinoids including brusatol and bruceines, which are gastrointestinal irritants. In traditional Chinese medicine it is bitter and cold with toxicity, entering the Large Intestine and Liver channels; it clears heat, dries dampness, kills parasites, and stops dysentery, and is the principal classical drug for amebic dysentery and malaria. The oil is used topically for warts and corns.
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.
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on Ya Dan Zi.
No notes yet.