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Bu Gu Zhi补骨脂

Psoraleae Fructus · Psoralea Fruit · Scurfy Pea Fruit

Herbs that Tonify the Yang 补阳药《药性论》

Overview

The ripe fruit of Psoralea corylifolia, and one of the warmest of the yang tonics: acrid, bitter and very warm, entering the Kidney and Spleen channels to fortify Kidney yang, hold in essence and urine, and stop the daybreak diarrhea of Spleen-and-Kidney yang deficiency — its role in Si Shen Wan. The dispensary carries the raw fruit alongside dry-fried, wine-fried and salt-prepared forms: salt-preparation is the everyday choice because it directs the herb downward into the Kidney and strengthens the securing of essence and urine, dry-frying blunts the raw fruit's irritation to a weak stomach, and wine-frying leans it further toward warming yang and freeing the channels.

Nature & Flavor

Bitter, acrid · Warm

Channels

Kidney · Spleen

Typical Dosage

5–15 g in decoction
补骨脂Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

5 core actions

  • Warms the Kidney, fortifies yangKidney-yang deficiency with cold aching low back and knees, impotence and marked intolerance of cold.
  • Secures essence, reduces urinationSeminal emission, enuresis, and frequent clear urination at night.
  • Warms the Spleen, stops diarrheaDaybreak diarrhea of Spleen-and-Kidney yang deficiency — the Si Shen Wan pattern, with Rou Dou Kou and Wu Zhu Yu.
  • Grasps qi, calms wheezingLong-standing deficiency wheezing where the Kidney fails to grasp the qi, used with other Kidney-warming herbs.
  • How the processed forms differSalt-prepared is guided to the Kidney and is the usual dispensing form for essence and urinary complaints; dry-fried is easier on the stomach; wine-fried warms yang and frees the channels more strongly.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Bu Gu Zhi

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Cold, sore low back and knees; impotence; aversion to cold
    - Nocturnal emission, enuresis, frequent night urination
    - Early-morning diarrhea of Spleen-Kidney yang deficiency
    - Chronic deficiency wheezing

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

NocturiaEnuresisChronic diarrheaErectile dysfunctionOsteoporosis

Contraindications

Cautions

Very warm and drying: not for yin deficiency with heat signs, nor where there is dry constipation or blood in the urine. It contains psoralens, which make skin sensitive to sunlight — anyone taking it, and especially anyone using it topically for skin depigmentation, should limit sun exposure and should not combine it with light therapy except under supervision. Liver injury has been reported with prolonged or high-dose use of psoralea preparations: keep courses short, stay within the prescribed dose, and stop and seek medical advice if appetite falls away, the urine darkens, or the skin or eyes turn yellow.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: Avoid in pregnancy unless a practitioner specifically directs otherwise.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. 《中华人民共和国药典》(Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China).
    2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    3. Chen & Chen. Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology.

Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.