INDIVIDUAL HERBS

NAME: TU SI ZI - 菟丝子 - SEMEN CUSCUTAE

Pharmaceutical Latin: Semen Cuscutae
Common English: Chinese Dodder Seeds
Cuscuta

CATEGORY

Herbs that Tonify Yang

PROPERTIES

Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Acrid
Sweet
Neutral
Kidney
Liver
6-18g
Tincture: 2-5ml

ACTIONS AND INDICATIONS

Actions Indications/Syndromes

Strengthens Yang, nourishes Yin, astringes Jing and urine and benefits the marrow

Kidney Yang Deficiency with impotence, nocturnal emissions, premature ejaculation, tinnitus, urinary frequency, sore painful back and vaginal discharge

Tonifies the Kidneys and Liver and improves vision

Deficient Liver and Kidney Yin, Yang and Jing with dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision or spots before the eyes

Benefits the Kidneys and Spleen and stops (astringes) diarrhea

Diarrhea, loose stools and anorexia from Spleen and Kidney Deficiency

Calms the fetus

Habitual or threatened miscarriage

CONTRAINDICATIONS, INCOMPATIBILITIES AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with Deficient Yin with Heat signs.
  • Contraindicated for those with constipation.
  • Contraindicated for those with scanty, dark urine.
  • Contraindicated for those with a constant erection.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

MAJOR COMBINATIONS

Fr. Psoraliae
Bu Gu Zhi
Cx. Eucommiae
Du Zhong

Fr. Psoraliae
Bu Gu Zhi
Cx. Eucommiae
Du Zhong
Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum
Lu Rong

Fr. Psoraliae
Bu Gu Zhi
Cx. Eucommiae
Du Zhong
Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum
Lu Rong
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Fr. Corni
Shan Zhu Yu

Spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation and low back pain from Kidney Deficiency.

Spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation and low back pain from Kidney Yang Deficiency.

Spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation and low back pain from Kidney Yin Deficiency.

Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum
Lu Rong
Hb. Cistanches
 Rou Cong Rong
Rz. Dioscoreae
Shan Yao

Sm. Plantaginis
Che Qian Zi
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang

Sm. Plantaginis
Che Qian Zi
Fr. Lycii
Gou Qi Zi
Fr. Ligustri Lucidi
Nu Zhen Zi

Exhaustion, aversion to Cold and frequent dripping urination due to deficient Kidney Qi.

Blurred vision and spots before the eyes due to Kidney and Liver Deficiency.

Blurred vision and spots before the eyes due to Kidney and Liver Deficiency.

Sm. Astragali Complanati
Sha Yuan Zi
Yin and Blood Tonics

Rx. Dioscoreae
Shan Yao
Poria
Fu Ling
Rx. Codonopsis
Dang Shen

Rx. Dipsaci
Xu Duan
Hb. Taxilli
Sang Ji Sheng
Cx. Eucommiae
Du Zhong

Blurred vision, dizziness and tinnitus.

Anorexia, loose watery stools or diarrhea from Deficient Spleen and Kidneys.

Threatened miscarriage or restless fetus due to Kidney Deficiency.

Flos Chrysanthemi
Ju Hua

Cx. Eucommiae
Du Zhong

Rz. Cibotii
Gou Ji

Unclear vision.

Enriches and tonifies the Kidneys and Liver, astringes Jing, nourishes Kidney Yin, brightens the eyes and encourages the movement of Primal Yang to treat spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation and lower back pain from Kidney Deficiency.

Kidney disorders with Wind-Damp Bi manifesting as low back and knee pain.

Fr. Schisandrae
Wu Wei Zi
Sm. Nelumbinis
Lian Zi
Rx. Polygalae
Yuan Zhi
Sm. Euryales
Qian Shi

Cx. Eucommiae
Du Zhong
Hb. Taxilli
Sang Ji Sheng
Colla Corii Asini
E Jiao

Fr. Tribuli
Bai Ji Li
Hb. Epimedii
Yin Yang Huo
Fr. Lycii
Gou Qi Zi
Rx. Morindae
Ba Ji Tian

For spermatorrhea and frequent dreams.

Uterine bleeding, restless fetus, and back pain with a feeling of prolapse. Impotence.

Poria
Fu Ling
Sm. Nelumbinis
Lian Zi

Fr. Corni
Shan Zhu Yu
Flos Chrysanthemi
Ju Hua
Rx, Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang

Fr. Psoraliae
Bu Gu Zhi
Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi
Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae
Bai Zhu

Heart Qi Deficiency from Excess worry with dribbling urination, turbid urine and enuresis.

Urinary, incontinence, frequent urinary urges and terminal dripping of turbid urine.

Blurred vision.

Diarrhea.

NOTES

  1. Both Sm. Cuscutae Tu Si Zi (Kidney Yang) and Fr. Lycii Gou Qi Zi (Jing and Blood) are used for vision problems.
  2. This is a gentle Kidney tonic that can be incorporated into many formulas for Yin, Yang, Qi and Jing Deficiency.
  3. It aids the Kidney in consolidating Qi and Jing and is used in astringent formulas for frequent urination and seminal emission.
  4. It is used in the treatment of constipation with Kidney Yang Deficiency and Dryness.
  5. Both Tu Si Zi and Fr. Psoraliae Bu Gu Zhi warm the Kidney Yang, and tonify the Spleen to stop diarrhea. Tu Si Zi gently warms the Kidney Yang, tonifies the Kidney Yin and nourishes the Liver to brighten the eyes while Bu Gu Zhi is very warming, strongly warms the Kidney Yang and has a more powerful diarrhea stopping-effect.
  6. Cuscuta Silk Cakes Tu Si Bing have an enhanced tonifying effect.