Pseudostellaria, Tai Zi Shen 太子参
Prince Ginseng, False StarwortTai Zi Shen, Hai Er Shen (Child’s Ginseng)
Pseudostellaria heterophylla(Photos by Qwert1234) (Wikimedia)
Botanical name:
Pseudostellaria heterophylla (syn. Krascheninikovia heterophylla, Stellaria heterophylla)
Parts used:
Root
Temperature & Taste:
Neutral (slightly Warm and moist), Sweet, slightly Bitter
Classification:
N. Qi Tonic
Uses:
1. Tonify the Spleen, Increase Qi:
-poor appetite, low energy, fatigue, weakness
-good for loose stool with poor appetite due to Spleen deficiency
-benefits immunity and resistance
-Insomnia, Dizziness, Headache, Neurasthenia from deficiency
-health tonic for children, promotes development
2. Benefits Yin, Generates Fluids:
-Thirst after Febrile disease
-Spontaneous sweating from Qi and Yin deficiency
-Continuous Fever or Fever in Summer in Children
-dry Cough from Lung Yin deficiency
-useful tonic in Diabetes
Dose:
Powder: 1–5 grams
Decoction: 10–30 grams
Comment:
Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen has properties similar to Ginseng. It increases Qi and nourishes body Fluids. It is considerably weaker, and doesn’t work as deep as Ginseng does. However, it is often used in the recuperation after prolonged or serious illness. It is also often used in tonic Soups.
Substitutes:
1. Ginseng or American Ginseng can be substituted if there is marked weakness.
2. Tai Zi Shen can be substituted for Ginseng in milder cases.
Main Combinations:
1. Spleen deficiency, weakness, poor appetite:
i. Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Dioscorea Shan Yao
ii. Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Poria Fu Ling, Citrus Chen Pi, Licorice
2. Gastritis with deficiency, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Pinellia Ban Xia, Salvia Dan Shen, Bupleurum Chai Hu
3. Qi and Yin deficiency, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Astragalus Huang Qi, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi,
4. Qi and Yin deficiency following Fever,
i. Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Glehnia Bei Sha Shen, Dioscorea Shan Yao
ii. Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang, Anemarrhena Zhi Mu
5. Blood deficiency following illness, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Astragalus Huang Qi, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Hyacinth Bean fried (Bai Bian Dou), Jujube (Da Zao)
6. Insomnia:
i. with Irritability, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Zizyphus Suan Zao Ren, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi
ii. with Neurasthenia, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Dang Gui, Ziziphus seed Suan Zao Ren, Polygala Yuan Zi, Licorice
iii. with Palpitations from Qi and Yin deficiency, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Zizyphus Semen Suan Zao Ren, Platycladus Bai Zi Ren.
7. Palpitations, Shortness of Breath, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Tremella Yin Er (Wood Ear Fungus) and Rock Sugar
8. Dry Cough from Lung Heat damaging fluids, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Glehnia Sha Shen, Lillium Bai He, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong
9. Chronic Pediatric Pneumonia, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Astragalus Huang Qi, Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Honey-fried Aster (Zi Wan), Honey-fried Coltsfoot flower (Kuan Dong Hua). Taken for 1 month, this formula was found to be very effective. (Chen & Chen)
10. Residual Heat following illness, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Rehmannia Sheng Di, Paeonia Bai Shao, Soloman’s Seal (Yu Zhu)
11. Thirst from Yin deficiency, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong, Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang, Anemarrhena Zhi Mu
12. Diabetes, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Pueraria Ge Gen, Trichosanthes root Tian Hua Fen, Chicken Gizzard skin (Ji Nei Jin)
13. Spontaneous Sweating:
i. Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Triticum Fu Xiao Mai
ii. Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Astragalus Huang Qi, Oyster shell (Mu Li)
14. Night Sweats, Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen with Light Wheat (Fu Xiao Mai), Jujube (Da Zao)
Cautions:
None noted. Generally very safe.