Er Cha儿茶
Catechu · Catechu · Black Catechu · Cutch
Overview
. Editions differ on where this one sits — some file it with the surface remedies, others with the herbs that stop bleeding, and the reviewer may wish to move it.
Not a mineral and not a raw plant part, but a concentrated extract: the heartwood of the black cutch tree is decocted and the liquid reduced to a hard, dark, brittle mass, broken into pieces for use. Bitter, astringent and slightly cool, it is the drying, closing, bleeding-stopping agent of external medicine — dusted on a graze, a burn, a weeping eczema, an ulcerated sore, a bleeding wound or a raw mouth, where its tannins bind the surface and let it close. Small internal doses were used for cough with hot phlegm and for damp diarrhoea. Unlike everything else in this part of the chapter, it is not toxic.
Nature & Flavor
Bitter, astringent · CoolChannels
Heart · LungTypical Dosage
1–3 gActions
4 core actions
- Stops bleeding, closes a woundBleeding from a cut, graze or extraction socket, and wounds and ulcers that stay raw — the powder dusted directly on.
- Dries damp, heals a weeping soreWeeping eczema, damp itching lesions, ulcerated sores, nappy-area rash, and mouth and gum ulceration.
- Moves blood, relieves injury painBruising and pain after a fall or blow, applied topically and used in trauma powders and plasters.
- Clears the Lung, transforms phlegmCough with thick hot phlegm, and damp-heat diarrhoea — the classical internal uses, at 1–3 g.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Er Cha
No published formula lists this herb yet — the library is growing.
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Bleeding wounds, grazes and ulcers that will not close (external use)
- Weeping eczema, damp itch, nappy-area rash, mouth and gum ulceration (external use)
- Bruising and pain from injury (external use)
- Cough with thick hot phlegm; damp-heat diarrhoea (internal use, 1–3 g)
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
Er Cha is not toxic, and it is the safest entry in this chapter — but it is strongly astringent and drying, and that sets its limits.
- Not for cold or deficiency-cold patterns. Its bitter, drying, astringing nature aggravates cold-damp diarrhoea from Spleen yang deficiency and dries an already dry, deficient patient. Use it where there is damp and heat to close, not where there is cold and emptiness.
- Do not use it to seal a dirty or infected wound. An astringent powder over contamination or pus traps it. Clean and assess the wound first, and refer anything deep, dirty, animal- or human-inflicted, or not stopping.
- High tannin content. Taken internally at the same time as iron supplements or some other medicines it can reduce their absorption; separate them by a couple of hours. In quantity or on an empty stomach it can cause nausea or stomach discomfort.
- Keep to 1–3 g internally and do not take it as a long course; prolonged use of a strong astringent can leave the bowel sluggish and constipated.
- Confirm the identity. 'Catechu' is a name applied to more than one plant extract and to industrial tanning material. Use a properly identified medicinal grade.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: No specific pregnancy restriction is recorded for external use. Internal use in pregnancy and breastfeeding should be left to the treating practitioner, and is not something to self-direct.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- Er Cha is a later entrant to the Chinese materia medica, arriving with the southern maritime trade; accounts of the first source text differ and it is not asserted here.
2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
3. 《中华人民共和国药典》(the 1–3 g internal range).
4. Editions of 《中药学》 differ on whether this entry sits with the external remedies or with the blood-stanching herbs — check your own edition.
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.