Tai Zi Shen太子参
Pseudostellariae Radix · Pseudostellaria Root · Prince Ginseng · False Starwort
Overview
The slender tuber of Pseudostellaria, sweet and slightly bitter with a genuinely neutral temperature. It tonifies Spleen and Lung qi and generates fluids at the same time, but does both gently — which is exactly its value. It is the qi tonic chosen for children, for convalescence after a fever, and for patients who become flushed, dry-mouthed or restless on Ren Shen 人参 or Huang Qi 黄芪. Being mild, it works over larger doses and longer courses rather than in a few days.
Nature & Flavor
Sweet, slightly bitter · NeutralChannels
Spleen · LungTypical Dosage
9–30 g in decoctionActions
3 core actions
- Tonifies Spleen and Lung qiPoor appetite, fatigue after little effort, loose stool, a weak voice and spontaneous sweating — the ordinary qi-deficiency picture in someone too depleted or too young for a warm tonic.
- Generates fluids, moistens the LungThe dry mouth, dry cough and lingering thirst left behind after a febrile illness, where qi and fluids are both short.
- Suits children and the frailNeutral and not drying, so it can be given over weeks to poorly eating children and to elderly patients without stirring up heat.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Tai Zi Shen
No published formula lists this herb yet — the library is growing.
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Spleen-qi deficiency with poor appetite, fatigue and loose stool
- Convalescence after fever with dry mouth, thirst and a dry cough
- Weak voice, spontaneous sweating and shortness of breath
- Poor appetite and slow recovery in children
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
Mild, but still a tonic: hold it while a fever, sore throat or acute infection is running, since tonifying too early can keep a pathogen in place. Its gentleness is also its limit — a sudden collapse of qi is not what this herb is for, and a stronger tonic is needed there. Patients heavy with damp or phlegm, with a thick greasy coating and fullness after eating, need drying or transforming herbs alongside it, or it will feel cloying.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: No specific restriction — practitioner judgment applies; it is among the gentler qi tonics and is generally compatible with pregnancy when a practitioner has matched it to the pattern.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- Ben Cao Cong Xin《本草从新》(classical source, public domain).
2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
3. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
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.