Brucea, Ya Dan Zi 鸦胆子Ya Dan Zi (TCM) |
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Brucea javanicaRumphius (Rumpf), G.E., Herbarium amboinense, (1741)
Brucea javanica(Photo by Yercaud-elango) (Wikimedia)
Botanical name:
Brucea javanica (syn. Rhus javanica)
Parts used:
Fruit
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Bitter. Toxic
Classification:
B. Clears Heat and Toxin
Uses:
1. Clears Heat and Damp, Treats Dysentery:
-special for chronic or recurring Dysentery; Dysentery with alternating hard and soft stool
-particularly useful for cases that improve then suddenly worsen
-especially Amebic Dysentery, Dysentery with Blood and Pus
-also for Chronic Diarrhea
2. Treats Malarial Disorders:
-Malarial Fever; Intermittent Fever and Chills
-often the powder is used in capsules as a stand-alone herb; the oil is also used
-Anti-Malarial effects have been proven by research
3. Clears Heat and Toxin, Resolves Masses:
-Tumors and Cancers (inc. Colon, Breast, Cervix, Liver, Leukemia, Bladder, Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma)
-emulsion has been injected into the Bladder for Bladder Cancer with good effect
-seed oil or emulsion is more active than the water extract
4. Externally:
-applied to Hemorrhoids
-paste of the kernels (or saturated tincture) is applied to Corns and Warts (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
-painful, toxic, deep-rooted sores and boils
Dose:
1. The seeds are commonly recommended to be put inside a Longan fruit and swallowed.
2. According to experience, the seeds can be taken in doses of 5–10 pieces three times per day, or else a dose of 10–20 may be taken every 3 days.
500mg–2 grams, or 5–20 fruits (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
Capsules (00): 2 or 3 capsules, three times daily.
Some practitioners prescribe 25 fruits (to a maximum of 50 fruits), taken with sugared water. (This dose probably referring to defatted seeds)
The 10% oil emulsion has been given orally for cancer in doses of 50mls, three times daily.
Classically, 7 fruits were inserted into each of 7 Logan fruits, and these were eaten as a dose, making a total of 49 fruits.
Preparation:
1. The skin must be removed.
2. Defatted Brucea Seed:
The seeds are wrapped in blotting paper and pressed to remove the oil. The seed pulp is wrapped in fresh blotting paper and pressed again, the process repeated until no more oil is expressed. This greatly reduces the toxic and irritant effect, however it lowers the therapeutic effect. This is used for older or weaker people, and for children. It has no effect when used topically.
Main Combinations:
1. Dysentery:
i. Amoebic Dysentery, Brucea fruit, Pulsatilla Bai Tou Weng, Coptis Huang Lian
ii. Brucea fruit, Pulsatilla Bai Tou Weng, Purslane Ma Chi Xian
iii. Brucea fruit (15 in number) put into Longan fruit and decocted with Pulsatilla Bai Tou Weng (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
iv. ‘Remove the shell from ten to twenty pieces of ya dan zi and place the seeds within long yiln rim (longan flesh). Squeeze them into several small pills and take with warm water on an empty stomach. If it is not cured after one administration, wait two or three days and take it again. Try this two or three times in a row’. (Ten Lectures on the Use of Medicinals, Jiao Shu-De)
v. Brucea seed, Coptis Huang Lian, Costus Mu Xiang, Unripe Bitter Orange Zhi Shi, Paeonia Bai Shao
2. Malaria:
i. the powder is put inside Longan fruit (Long Yan Rou) and eaten.
ii. ‘For tertian malaria remove the shell from five to ten pieces of ya dan zi, grind the seeds, and place into capsules. take the capsules three times per day for three to five days in a row.’ (Ten Lectures on the Use of Medicinals, Jiao Shu-De)
3. Toxic Sores or Boils, make a paste of the fruit with vinegar and apply.
4. Hemorrhoids, take 7 Brucea seds in a Longan fruit.
Major Formulas:
Cautions:
1. Toxic to the Liver and Kidneys and a Gastrointestinal irritant. Avoid overdose or long-term use. It is an accumulative toxin so should not be used for more than 2 weeks without a break. Not used in people with Liver or Kidney disease.
2. Not used during Pregnancy
3. Avoid in those with Stomach or Spleen weakness, or gastrointestinal bleeding.
4. Not used in Dysentery with deficiency and cold.
Toxicity:
1. Over 12 fruits can be toxic to an adult, although generally around 50 fruits are required.
2. Toxicity is in the water-soluble, bitter fraction.
3. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver congestion, renal congestion. In severe cases convulsions and death may result.
Antidote:
1. Decoction of Mung Bean (30 grams), Licorice (12 grams), Phragmatis Lu Gen (50 grams)
Main Preparations used:
- Extra Info
- Research