INDIVIDUAL HERBS

NAME: DA ZAO

Pharmaceutical Latin: Fructus Jujube
Common English: Jujube
Jujube Berry
Chinese Date
Zizyphus
Black Date

CATEGORY

Herbs that Tonify the Qi

PROPERTIES

Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Sweet
Warm
(Neutral)
Spleen
Stomach
3-12 Dates
Powder: 10-30g
Tincture: 2-4ml

ACTIONS AND INDICATIONS

Actions Indications/Syndromes

Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach and augments Qi

Spleen and Stomach Deficiencies with weakness, shortness of breath, lassitude, anorexia and loose stools

Nourishes the Blood and calms the Spirit

Blood Deficiency

Restless Organ Syndrome with wan complexion, irritability and severe emotional lability

Moderates and harmonizes the harsh properties of other herbs

 

CONTRAINDICATIONS, INCOMPATIBILITIES AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with Heat from Excess.
  • Contraindicated for those with Damp-Heat.
  • Contraindicated for those with Phlegm-Heat
  • Contraindicated for those with Summerheat-Dampness.
  • Contraindicated for those with epigastric distention/ bloating.
  • Contraindicated for those with jaundice.
  • Contraindicated for those with Stomach pain.
  • Contraindicated for those with abdominal pain due to clumping.
  • Contraindicated for those with Qi Stagnation.
  • Contraindicated for those with Intestinal parasites.
  • Contraindicated for those with Damp-Phlegm.
  • Contraindicated for children.
  • Contraindicated postpartum.
  • Contraindicated for those with dental diseases.
  • Use with caution for those with Excess Dampness.
  • Use with caution for those with Food Stagnation.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

MAJOR COMBINATIONS

Rx. Codonopsis
Dang Shen
(Rx. Ginseng)
(Ren Shen)
Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae
Bai Zhu
(Poria)
(Fu Ling)

Rz. Zingiberis Recens
Sheng Jiang

Fr. Tritici Levis
Fu Xiao Mai
Fr. Mume
Wu Mei
(Fol. Mori)
(Sang Ye)

Weakness and lassitude due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency

External Wind-Cold

Alleviates epigastric pain, nausea, and vomiting by strengthening the Spleen

Adjusts the Ying and Wei for treatment of Tai Yang Zhong Feng

Prevents tonics from generating Dampness in the Middle Jiao

Prevents Phlegm accumulation

Nourishes the Blood and prevents injury from harsh Blood movers and assists the movement of Qi

Enhances the effects of other Qi and Blood tonifying herbs by facilitating their digestion and absorption

Excessive spontaneous sweating in the debilitated

Colla Corii Asini
E Jiao
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui

Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao
Fr. Tritici Levis
Fu Xiao Mai

Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae
Bai Zhu
Rz. Zingiberis
Gan Jiang
 End. Corneum Gigeriae Galli
Ji Nei Jin

Nutritive Qi and Blood Deficiencies

Restless (dry) organ disorder

Diarrhea and decreased food intake due to Cold and Dampness in the Spleen and Stomach

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
 Colla Corii Asini
E Jiao
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui
Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi

Sm. Descurainiae/Lepidii
Ting Li Zi

Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao
 Fr. Tritici Levis
Fu Xiao Mai
Fossilia Ossis Mastodi
Long Gu
 Concha Ostreae
Mu Li
Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae
Suan Zao Ren
Sm. Platycladi
Bai Zi Ren

Severe Blood Deficiency with irritability and insomnia

Cough, wheezing and chest fullness due to Phlegm accumulation in the chest

Dry organ disorder with Shen disturbance

Rx. Euphorbiae Kansui
Gan Sui
 Rx. Euphorbiae seu Knoxiae
Hong/Jing Da Ji
Flos Genkwa
Yuan Hua

 

 

Ascites with severe accumulation of water and Phlegm

 

 

NOTES

  1. When added to harsh cathartics such as Sm. Daphne Genkwa Yuan Hua and Rx. Euphorbiae Kansui Gan Sui this herb can, to a degree, mollify their violent effects and prevent injury to the Spleen and Stomach.
  2. This herb is added to prescriptions with large amount of acrid or bitter herbs to mitigate their harshness.
  3. It counteracts the drying effects of Ginger.
  4. This herb can be used alone for Blood Deficiency.
  5. Red Date Hong Zao is more cooling.
  6. Da Zao governs pathogenic Qi in the Heart and abdomen, quiets the middle, nourishes the Spleen, unblocks the twelve channels and the nine orifices, tonifies Qi, and lack of fluids, any insufficiency in the body, intense jitteriness, heaviness in the extremities and harmonizes the hundred medicinals.
  7. Da Zao, Rz. Dioscoreae Shan Yao and Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu tonify Qi. Bai Zhu is drying and does not moisten. Shan Yao is neutral and tonifies Spleen Yin while Da Zao tonifies both Qi and Blood in the Spleen and Stomach.
  8. Both Da Zao and Arillus Longan Long Yan Rou are sweet, warm, augment Qi and Blood , tonify the Spleen and Stomach and calm the Spirit. Da Zao is less able to calm the Spirit but can moderate the harsh effects of other herbs, preventing them from injuring the Spleen. Long Yan Rou is more sweet and warm, which enhances the Spleen and is more moistening to tonify Blood more than Qi. It is better able to calm the Spirit, enhance the emotions and enrich the Heart.
  9. It increases endurance and assists the Liver in recovering from toxic exposure.