☯ TCM Properties
Promotes the movement of Qi, reduces distention and pressure and r esolves hardenings; Removes stagnated food
Traditional Chinese Uses
Zhi Ke (Zhi Qiao), the near-ripe fruit of Citrus aurantium (Fructus Aurantii), is a qi-regulating herb that is bitter, acrid and slightly cold, entering the spleen, stomach, large intestine and lung channels. It promotes the movement of qi, reduces distention and fullness, and disperses accumulation, making it a mainstay for stagnant qi presenting as bloating, epigastric and abdominal distention, chest and flank oppression, belching and sluggish bowel movements. It also helps disperse retained food and phlegm. Gentler and slower-acting than its unripe counterpart Zhi Shi (immature bitter orange), Zhi Ke suits chronic or milder digestive complaints and is used to gently move or lift qi. It is classically paired with Chai Hu and Xiang Fu for constrained liver qi, and appears in formulas that raise sunken qi and address rectal or uterine prolapse.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Zhi Ke (枳壳), also transliterated Zhi Qiao, is the dried mature fruit of Citrus × aurantium L. (bitter orange, Rutaceae), harvested when nearly ripe in summer, cut transversely into halves, and sun-dried or low-heat dried. The parent tree is a small, thorny evergreen 3–10 m tall with broadly elliptic, glossy leaves on narrowly winged petioles and fragrant white five-petaled flowers. The fruit is globose to depressed-globose, 4–7 cm across, with a thick, rough, orange to yellow-brown rind, bitter and acidic pulp, and numerous seeds. Cut transverse slices show a thick spongy mesocarp and shrunken radial segments. Zhi Ke is distinguished from Zhi Shi, which is the immature, smaller, more acrid fruit of the same tree harvested in early summer.
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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