Thlaspi, Treacle Mustard

Thlaspi, Pennycress, Treacle Mustard, Mithridate Mustard
Bre ga བྲེ་ག (Tibetan)
Xi Ming, Bai Jiang Cao (TCM);

Thlaspi arvense
Fuchs, L., New Kreüterbuch, 1543

Thlaspi arvense
(«Bilder ur Nordens Flora», 1917) (Wikimedia)

Patrinia scabiosaefolia
(an alternate herb used in China)
Sweet, R., British flower garden, vol. 2 (1823-1825)

Thlaspi arvense
(Photo by Enrico Blasutto) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:

Thlaspi arvense
Salmon noted there are numerous varieties of 9 different kinds, ‘but the wild is best’. (Seplasium)
In TCM, Patrina villosa or P. scabiosaefolia supply Bai Jiang Cao, with T. arvense being used as a source of the herb in some parts of China. (Bensky)

Parts used:

Seed; Whole Herb

Temperature & Taste:

Neutral or slightly Cool, dry (TCM, Tibet)
Bitter, pungent, sweet
Seed is probably warmer than the herb.

Classifications:

Attenuating, Attractive, Aperitive, Abstersive, Inciding, Carminative, Digestive, Diuretic, Stomatick, Neurotic, Nephritic, Hysteric, Alexipharmic

Uses:

1. Warms the Kidneys, Clears Damp, Promotes Urine:
-general Phlegm and Damp disorders (Tibet)
-Edema; Nephritis; Cirrhosis with Ascites
-Leukorrhea
-Swollen Testicles (Punjab)
-clears Damp from the Joints, Arthritis; clears Uric acid; helpful in Gout
-regarded as strengthening to the Body; Seed is said to benefits Essence in TCM.

2. Warms the Stomach, Benefits Digestion:
-Indigestion, poor appetite (TCM, Tibet)
-abdominal fullness, diarrhea, dysentery (TCM)

3. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis: (TCM, West)
-Blood stagnation in the Chest or abdomen
-Postpartum pain
-the juice was given in brandy to expel a dead child. (Salmon)
-a dram of the seed in powder forces menstruation and causes miscarriage (Salmon)
-Pelvic Inflammation; Inflammation of the Uterus

4. Benefits Liver, Brightens Eyes:
-used to improve Eyesight (TCM)
-seeds can be used for this purpose too

5. Resist Poison:
-Toxic Sores; Internal and External Abscesses
-‘used chiefly to break inward Apostems [abscesses]’ (Salmon, Seplasium, 1693)
-Ulcers

SEED:
1. Clarifies the Sight:
-brighten the Eyes, (TCM)

2. Clears Wind-Damp, Expels Stones:
-Wind-Damp pain, Lumbago
-promotes urine, clears Stones (West)
-Sciatica, internally and as a cataplasm (Salmon, Seplasium, 1693)

3. Resists Poison:
-an important ingredient in Mithridate
-resists various types of poison and venom

Dose:

Herb: 9–15 grams in decoction
Seed: 1–2½ grams in Powder (1–2 scruples)
The essence of the juice with Brandy was given for inward Abscesses. (Salmon)

Comment:

In TCM, Patrina villosa Bai Jiang Cao is commonly used, with Thlaspi arvense used as a source of the herb in some parts. We have considered them synonymous in effect. Further study will suggest the particular speciality of each variety.
Patrina Bai Jiang Cao has the following specific uses in TCM:
1. Clears Heat and Poison, Resolves Pus: Sores, Aabcess, Intestinal Abscess
2. Clears Blood Stasis, Eases Pain, Blood Stasis, Chest or Abdomainl Pain, Postpartum Pain

Preparation:

1. Ripe seeds are potentially toxic. Boiling destroys toxin so decoction is not an issue. Boiling water may be poured over the seeds to neutralise the toxin, then the seeds dried.

Substitute:

Salmon said the properties are similar to common Mustard seed.

Main Combinations:

1. Warms and strengthen the Kidneys:
i. Thlaspi herb with Mucuna, Mango kernel, Shilajit, Clove, Lesser Cardamon (as in Betel nut 9 of Tibetan Medicine)
ii. frequent Urination, Diabetes, Bedwetting, Thlaspi herb with Emblic Myrobalan, Turmeric, Tribulus, Barberry (Skyer shun) (as in Emblic 6 of Tibetan Medicine)
2. Indigestion, Abdominal pain,
i. Thlaspi herb with Ginger
ii. Thlaspi/Patrina herb with Citrus Chen Pi, Chicken Gizzard Skin (Ji Nei Jin), Malted Barley (Mai Ya) (TCM)
3. Lung Abscess:
i. Thlaspi/Patrina herb with Houttuynia Yu Xing Cao, Scutellaria Huang Qin
ii. Thlaspi/Patrina herb with Platycodon Jie Geng, Houttuynia Yu Xing Cao, Benincasa Dong Gua Zi (TCM)
4. Intestinal Abscess, Thlaspi/Patrina herb with Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying) (TCM)
5. Prurulent Discharge, Thlaspi/Patrina herb with Coix (Yi Yi Ren)
6. Pain in the Chest or abdomen, Thlaspi/Patrina herb with with Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu) and Dang Gui
7. Ulcers, prepare an ointment with Thlaspi seed, Turpentine and Lard (Salmon, Seplasium, 1693)

SEED:
1. Hydrocele, ‘Water Hernia’, Thlaspi seed with Golden Rod, Figwort, Madder, Juniper berry, Bean ashes (Theatrum Praxeos Medicae, Zuingerus, 1710)
2. Ascites, Thlaspi seed with Celery root & seed, Asparagus root, Madder, Asarum, Agrimony, (Theatrum Praxeos Medicae, Zuingerus, 1710)
3. Varicose veins, Thlaspi seed with Figwort root, Dandelion root, Butchers Broom, Agrimony, Betony, Bay berry, Senna (Theatrum Praxeos Medicae, Zuingerus, 1710)

Major Formulas:

Thlaspi 13 (Bre ga bcu gsum) (Tibetan)
Amomum 19 (Ko la 19) (Tibetan)
Emblic 6 (Skyuru duk pa) (Tibetan)
Betel nut 9 (Go yu 9) (Tibetan)

Cautions:

1. Caution in Spleen deficiency
2. Seed is contraindicated in pregnancy as it causes miscarriage.