Skip to content
Cura x Cura

Zhi Ke枳壳

Aurantii Fructus · Bitter Orange · Mature Bitter Orange Fruit

Herbs that Regulate the Qi 理气药

Overview

The maturing fruit of the bitter orange, sliced and dried — the same tree as Zhi Shi 枳实, picked later and acting more gently. Bitter, acrid and slightly cool, it moves qi through a stuck middle burner and loosens distension, working a little higher in the body and a good deal more mildly than Zhi Shi: the herb for a bloated, oppressed chest and upper abdomen rather than for hard accumulation low down. Bran-fried is milder still and less cooling, and is the form usually chosen for a delicate stomach.

Nature & Flavor

Bitter, acrid, sour · Slightly cool

Channels

Spleen · Stomach

Typical Dosage

3–9 g in decoction
枳壳Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

3 core actions

  • Moves qi, loosens the middleFullness and bloating in the chest and epigastrium, belching, and a stuck feeling after eating.
  • Breaks up stagnation, reduces distensionFood stagnation with a distended abdomen; damp-heat with a sense of incomplete bowel movement.
  • Restores movement inside lifting formulasModern practice adds it to Spleen-lifting prescriptions for gastric or uterine prolapse, where moving stuck qi helps the lifting herbs act. It does not tonify.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Zhi Ke

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Bloating and fullness in the chest and upper abdomen
    - Belching, poor appetite, a stuck feeling after meals
    - Food stagnation with distension
    - Prolapse, as an adjunct within Spleen-lifting formulas

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

BloatingFunctional dyspepsiaGERDConstipationGastroptosis

Contraindications

Cautions

It moves and breaks qi rather than building it: continued use in someone already weak and short of breath will tire them further, so it is used cautiously where the qi is deficient. Used cautiously in pregnancy — it drives qi downward, and the classical instruction is to leave it out unless there is a clear reason. Keep to the practitioner's amount and do not exceed 9 g a day. Bitter orange contains synephrine, so anyone taking cardiovascular or stimulant medication should mention the prescription to their doctor.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: Used with caution in pregnancy — it moves qi downward, and is traditionally left out unless a practitioner has a clear indication for it.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    2. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
    3. 《中华本草》.

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.