- Region
- Asia
- Origin
- China
Asia · Herb · № 767
Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa
Herb · Asia
Sour jujube seed (suan zao ren)
Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa
Traditionally attributed effects: nourishes heart yin and calms the mind in insomnia and restlessness; curbs night sweats.
Safety notes
Not with intense fire or severe diarrhoea. Consult your doctor if you take sleeping pills or sedatives. Traditional use is no proof of effectiveness; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Preparation
Seed. Usually as a decoction, together with other herbs.
Use in traditions
Described in the classical Chinese materia medica, in the group 'herbs that nourish the heart and calm the mind'. The seeds (suan zao ren) are the main Chinese remedy for sleeplessness and restlessness, in Suan Zao Ren Tang (Japanese: Sansoninto). They are lightly roasted.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- sweet, sour, neutral
- Meridians
- liver, heart, spleen, gallbladder
Attributed effects
One of the most used remedies for nervousness, anxiety and insomnia from blood or yin deficiency, with palpitations and irritability, and for night sweats and spontaneous sweating.
Preparation and amount
Traditional dosage: 6–18 g a day, usually in a decoction. Raw the seed is more strongly calming; roasted it works more on spleen deficiency with night sweats. For insomnia 1.5–3 g of crushed seed before bed in hot water or a capsule.
Combinations
- With dang gui, polygala, white peony, longan and ye jiao teng for liver and heart blood deficiency
- Ways to prepare herbs
- DecoctionCompress, poultice and pastePowder and kitchen