Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, China Rose Rose of China, Chinese Hibiscus Japa (Ayurveda) Gul-e-Gurhal (Unani) Semparuthi (Siddha) Fu Sang Hua (TCM)

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Edwards’s Botanical Register, vol. 21 (1836)

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
(Photo by Buendia22) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Parts used:

Flower

Temperature & Taste:

Neutral (slightly Cool and moist according to some). Sweet, Pungent, Bitter

Uses:

1. Calms the Heart, Settles Wind, Calms the Mind: (Unani)
-Palpitation, Tachycardia
-Anxiety, Mental Illness, Insanity
-according to Ayurveda, the flowers enhance meditation, and stimulate occult powers; purify Heart and Mind

2. Clears Heat, Cool the Blood:
-decoction is a cooling drink in Fever, Measles
-Burning Sensations and heat-type skin disease
-Hemoptysis, Nosebleed, Flooding and Spotting (TCM)
-Lung-heat Cough, bronchial Catarrh (TCM, Unani)
-inflammations, Sores, abscesses (internally and topically) (TCM, Unani, Ayurveda)
-Mastitis, Lymphadenitis (Leaf, TCM)
-leaf is also used to clear Heat and Toxin

3. Clears Damp-Heat: (TCM)
-Leukorrhea (Leaf, flower)
-Diarrhea, Dysentery

4. Moves the Qi, Promotes Menstruation:
-amenorrhea, sluggish menstruation from constrained Qi; it can help regulate Menstruation
-promotes Labor; helps cleanse birth and afterbirth (leaf, flower)
-large doses are abortifacient
-also for abdominal pain

5. Benefits Kidneys, Astringes Essence:
-Impotence
-promotes spermatogenesis
-beneficial in Diabetes
-also for Diarrhea

6. Externally:
-flower/plant juice is applied to Sores
-flower/plant juice is applied topically to Headache
-as a wash fore sore, red eyes
-oil prepared from the flower juice simmered in olive oil promotes hair growth


ROOT:
-Cough
-Gonorrhea, Menorrhagia

Dose:

Flower and Leaf: 5–10 grams in Infusion; 1–3 grams in powder
Flower Paste: 10–20 grams
Flower Powder: 250mg–1 grams
Root: 2–3 grams in Powder

Substitute:

1. The root is a substitute for Marshmallow root. The latter can be used for Hibiscus rosa-sinensis root.
2. Salix aegyptica in Cardiac ailments
3. Rosella, Hibiscus sabdariffa is generally used similarly. Each part of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and H. sabdariffa can geenrally be substituted for each other. (Unani)

Correctives:

1. Black Pepper
2. Sugar Candy (Unnai)

Main Combinations:

1. Calm the Mind and Heart, Anxiety, Palpitations:
i. China Rose with Balm
ii. China Rose with Sandalwood, Pearl
2. Cooling drink in Fever, China Rose with Peppermint
3. Promote Menstruation:
i. China Rose with Pennyroyal
ii. China Rose with Dang Gui, Cyperus rotundus
4. As a hair oil, combine with Eclipta

Major Formulas:

Cautions:

1. Not used during Pregnancy or Lactation
2. Avoid in severe chills.
3. Caution in high Vata (Wind constitution)
4. Not used in small children

Main Preparations used: