Kochia, Di Fu Zi 地肤子

Broom Cypress
Di Fu Zi (TCM)
Picture Kochia scoparia
Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, vol. 145 (1919)

Picture Kochia scoparia
(Photo by Matt Lavin) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Kochia scoparia (syn. Bassia scoparia)

Parts used:


Fruit

Temperature & Taste:


Cold, dry. Bitter, Sweet

Classification:


C. Clear Damp, Promote Urine

Uses:


1. Clears Damp-Heat, Promotes Urine:
-urinary obstruction, difficult or painful urination
-painful, dribbling urine with scanty, burning urine

2. Clears Wind-Damp, Stops Itching:
-Damp (weeping) skin conditions with Itching
-Eczema, Pruritus, Scabies
-Damp-Heat rashes of the Genitals
-used internally and topically for these conditions
-also for red, itchy eyes, headache, and dizziness from Wind-Heat


Dose:


Decoction: 9–15 grams
Powder: 1–4 grams

Main Combinations:


1. Urinary Obstruction:
i. Kochia Di Fu Zi with Polyporus Zhu Ling, Dianthus Qu Mai
ii. Kochia Di Fu Zi with Plantain seed (Che Qian Zi)
2. Itchy skin conditions:
i. Wind rash or Wind-Damp sores, Kochia Di Fu Zi with Tribulus Ci Ji Li, Cicada slough Chan Tui (internally and as a wash)
ii. with Damp-Heat, Kochia Di Fu Zi with Sophora Ku Shen
iii. Kochia Di Fu Zi with Paeonia Bai Shao, Saposhnikovia Fang Feng
iv. Sores, Rash, with itching, Kochia Di Fu Zi with Geranium Lao Guan Cao, Phellodendron Huang Bai, Sophora Ku Shen
v. external wash, Kochia Di Fu Zi with Cnidium She Chuang Zi
vi. external wash, Kochia Di Fu Zi with Sichuan Pepper (Hua Jiao)
vii. Stubborn Itching skin diseases including Eczema, Kochia Di Fu Zi with Cynanchum paniculatum Xu Chang Qing, Sophora Ku Shen, Dictamnus Bai Xian Pi
3. Eczema, Psoriasis:
i. Kochia Di Fu Zi with China root (Tu Fu Ling), Sophora Ku Shen, Atractylodes Cang Zhu
ii. Kochia Di Fu Zi with Paeonia Bai Shao, Paeonia Mu Dan Pi, Rhubarb (Da Huang), Licorice
iii. from Damp-Heat or Wind-Heat, Kochia Di Fu Zi with Rehmannia Sheng Di and Dictamnus Bai Xian Pi
iv. Kochia Di Fu Zi with Phellodendron Huang Bai, Dictamnus Bai Xian Pi, Prunella Xia Ku Cao, Licorice, Saposhnikovia Fang Feng, Immature Bitter Oragne (Zhi Shi), Paeonia Chi Shao Yao (The Formulas of Dr. John H.F. Shen)
4. Itchiness and rash of the Genitals:
i. Kochia Di Fu Zi with Dittany (Bai Xian Pi), Sophora Ku Shen
ii. Kochia Di Fu Zi with Knotgrass (Bian Xu) as a wash
5. Scabies, Kochia Di Fu Zi with Chaulmoogra (Da Feng Zi), Sulphur, Camphor, applied topically.

Major Formulas:



Cautions:


Generally safe. Rarely there have been allergic reactions reported.

Main Preparations used: