Phaseolus angularis, Chi Xiao Dou 赤小豆

Adzuki Bean

Adzuki beans
Adam (2019)

Botanical name:

Phaseolus angularis; also P. calcaratus

Parts used:

Seed (Bean)

Temperature & Taste:

Neutral. Sweet, Sour

Uses:

1. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Edema, abdominal swelling, fluid retention
-swollen, painful legs
-Urinary difficulty

2. Clears Damp-Heat:
-Jaundice (mild cases, or in cases with weakness)

3. Moves the Blood, Clears Toxin:
-Abscesses, Boils, Sores, Carbuncles, Furuncles (internally and topically)
-when abscesses or boils have ruptured, the powdered seed can be applied topically
-Itchy rashes (topically)
-Hemorrhoids

Dose:

10–30 grams. Often cooked with Rice as a Congee.

Preparation:

As with all beans, they should be soaked for at least an hour, or preferably overnight, changing the water and washing well.

Main Combinations:

1. Edema, fluid swelling:
i. Adzuki bean, Barley, Cinnamon, cooked as a soup
ii. cooked with Carp in China for Edema and swelling of the legs.
iii. cooked with Peanuts and Red Dates (Da Zao) for Edema from deficiency
iv. Adzuki bean, Corn (50 grams each), Rice (100 grams). Boil together to form a Congee
v. traditionally cooked with Dang Gui to promote Urine and clear Heat (Jin Gui Yao Lue [Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer]).
2. Toxic Sores, Sores with Pus, taken internally with Barley and Mung Bean
3. Appendicular Abscess, with Coix Yi Yi Ren, Stephania Fang Ji and Licorice.
4. Bleeding Hemorrhoids, with Dang Gui as a topical plaster
5. Itchy rashes and swollen sores, with Schizonepetae Jing Jie

Main Formulas:
Gua Di San
Ma Huang Lian Qiao Chi Xiao Dou Tang

Cautions:

Large doses can induce miscarriage.