This product is the fruit of the water pepper (Polygonum hydropiper L.) from the Polygonaceae family. It grows in wetlands by water and roadsides. It is distributed throughout the north and south of China. The fruit is harvested in autumn when ripe, impurities are removed, and it is dried in the shade.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Acrid, warm. Act on lung, spleen, liver and kidney meridians. "Summary of materia medica": Get started. Act on foot taiyin and foot jueyin meridians.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Resolving dampness, promoting diuresis, dispelling stasis, softening hard masses, and removing toxins.

bubble_chart Indications

Commonly used for diarrhea, abdominal pain, edema, dysuria, abdominal mass, distension, abscesses, sores and ulcers, scrofula.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Benjing: "Mainly improves vision, warms the middle, withstands wind-cold, reduces water qi, and treats facial swelling and ulcers."
2. Yaoxing Lun: "Returns to the nose, eliminates kidney qi, and also removes scrofula."
3. Meng Shen: "Unblocks the qi of the five zang-organs."
4. Benjing Fengyuan: "Treats consumptive thirst and removes heat, as well as scrofula, stuffiness, abdominal distension and fullness, all by its ability to dissipate heat and reduce accumulation."
5. Xinxiu Bencao: "Treats swollen feet: boil water pepper in water, soak and rub the feet."
6. Bencao Yanyi: "Water pepper, also known as the seed of water polygonum in the eleventh volume of Shennong Benjing. When they mention polygonum, they use the stem; here they mention the seed, hence the discussion of the seed's efficacy, thus divided into two entries. In early spring, use bottle gourd peel to hold water, keep it moist, hang it high over a fire, keep it warm day and night, then red sprouts will grow, which can be used as a vegetable for the five pungent dishes. Treat scrofula: slightly fry water pepper, grind into fine powder, mix with a little wine and take two to three qian. Long-term use will show effects, stop once effective."
7. Shiliao Bencao: "Unblocks the qi of the five zang-organs."
8. 《Shaan-Gan-Ning-Qing Chinese Herbal Medicine Selection》: "Diuretic." "Can treat difficulty in urination, edema."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

For internal use: decoct 6-15g in water, or grind into powder, or extract juice. For external use: apply an appropriate amount, decoct in water for soaking and washing, or grind into powder for topical application.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

Weak constitution and pregnant women Jinfu.

1. Yaoxing Lun: "Water pepper, excessive consumption can cause vomiting of water, obstruct qi, and damage yang."
2. Zhang Shou-yi: "Water pepper, breaking blood stasis and eliminating accumulation, has a very strong effect, most likely to cause early abortion, pregnant women must not use it; there are also those with weak blood and qi, and scanty menstruation, not due to stasis, who should also not mistakenly take it."

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

Accelerates blood clotting and lowers blood pressure.

bubble_chart Selected Prescriptions

1. Zhouhou Fang: "For treating relapse due to overfatigue from sexual intercourse, swollen or retracted testicles, colicky pain in the abdomen, or cessation of bowel movements: Take a large handful of smartweed seeds. Extract the juice by pressing with water, and drink one liter. For dried seeds, extract a concentrated juice and take it."
2. Shenghui Fang: "For treating cholera with irritability and thirst: Take one liang of smartweed seeds and two liang of fermented soybeans. Take two qian each time, decocted with water and consumed."
3. Yaoxing Lun: "For treating head sores in children: Grind water pepper into powder, mix with white honey and egg white, and apply to the affected area."
4. Bencao Shiyi: "For treating bites from snails or insects, with poison spreading throughout the body: Boil smartweed seeds in water and soak the affected area."