Callicarpa, Zi Zhu 紫珠

Beauty Berry, Perfumed Cherry
Zi Zhu (‘Purple Pearl’), Du Hong Hua (TCM)
Priyangu (Ayurveda)
Gnazhal (Siddha)
Picture Callicarpa fomosana
Blanco, M., Flora de Filipinas, ed. 3 (1877-1883)

Picture Picture
Callicarpa japonica
Addisonia (1918

 Callicarpa dichotoma (Van Houtte,
Flore des serres et des jardin de l’Europe (1858)
Picture Callicarpa bodonieri
(Photo by Kenraiz) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Callicarpa spp.
A number of species are used for this medicine.
  1. C. pedunculata (Zi Zhu)
  2. C. bodonieri (Zi Zhu) (Official)
  3. C. formosana – Taiwan Beauty Berry (Du Hong Hua) (Official)
  4. C. japonica – Japanese Beauty Berry (Ri Ben Zi Zhu)
  5. C. macrophylla (syn. C. incana) – Big Leaf Beauty Berry (Da Ye Zi Zhu)
  6. C. arborea – Tree Beauty Berry (Qiao Mu Zi Zhu)
  7. C. dichotoma (syn. C. purpurea) (Bai Tang Zi Zhu)
  8. C. cathayana (Hua Zi Zhu)
  9. C. nudiflora (Luo Hua Zi Zhu)
The American Callicarpa americana may have similar properties.

Parts used:


Whole herb

Temperature & Taste:


Cool, dry. Pungent, Bitter

Classification:


L. Stop Bleeding

Uses:


1. Moves the Blood, Eases Pain, Reduces Swelling:
-Trauma, Bruising; good for Wounds of the joints
-Blood clotting, Hematoma
-Rheumatoid Arthritis, Wind-Damp joint and bone pain, especially if there is Blood Stasis. (also the bark)

2. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:
-Blood in the Urine or Stool, Spitting or Vomiting Blood
-Uterine Bleeding, Heavy Menstruation, Spotting
-Bleeding from Trauma, Bleeding Wounds, Bleeding following Surgery or Tooth extraction
-Bleeding Gums
-Hemorrhoids, with or without bleeding (topically)

3. Clear Heat, Resists Poison:
-Cough with Fever, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Bronchitis, Pneumonia
-Toxic Sores and Swellings; Welling Abscess
-Snake Bite
-Burns, Scalds
-Flower is used for Fever, Cough, Asthma and Spitting Blood


Dose:


Powder: 1–3 grams
Whole Herb in Decoction: 10–20 grams (up to 30 grams)
Tincture (1:5 in 50% alcohol): 2–5mls.
The fresh plant can be crushed and applied topically.

Substitute:


1. For Bleeding, Agrimony
2. In South India, the Fruits of Aglaia roxburghiana are used as Priyangu

Main Combinations:


1. Bleeding:
i. various types of bleeding, Callicarpa leaf with Notoginseng San Qi
ii. Spitting or Vomiting Blood, Blood in the Urine or Stool, Callicarpa, Agrimony (Xian He Cao), Eclipta (Han Lian Cao)
iii. Bloody painful urine from Stones, Callicarpa, Agrimony (Xian He Cao), Lysmachia Jin Qian Cao
iv. Heat-type Bleeding, Callicarpa, Burnet root (Di Yu)
v. bleeding from the Bowels, Callicarpa, burnt Rhubarb, Red Earth
2. Toxic Sores and Swellings: Callicarpa, Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying)
3. Hemorrhoids, Callicarpa, Notoginseng San Qi, Scutellaria Huang Qin, Burnet (Di Yu), Sophora flower Huai Hua, Corydalis Yan Hu Suo. This is available as a patent medicine.
4. Burns, to promote healing and prevent infection,
i. Callicarpa decoction with Rose water and Aloe vera gel, applied topically.
ii. Callicarpa, Rhubarb (Da Huang), Scutellaria Huang Qin topically as a cream
5. Cough, Asthma, Callicarpa flower (Priyangu), Cyperus rotundus, Sandalwood, Lesser Cardamon, Clove, Long Pepper, Jujubes (as in Eladi Churna of Ayurveda)

Major Formulas:



Cautions:


Caution in those with Bleeding from Cold and Deficiency.

Main Preparations used: