BU GU ZHI -  补骨脂 - FRUCTUS PSORALIAE

Pharmaceutical Fructus Psoraliae

Latin:
Psoraliae Fruit
Common English:
Scurf Pea Berry
CATEGORY

Herbs that Tonify the Yang

PROPERTIES

Taste Temperature Entering Dosage

Meridians
Acrid Very Warm Kidney 3-9g
Bitter Spleen Tincture: 2-4ml
(Pericardium)
ACTIONS AND INDICATIONS

Actions Indications/Syndromes

Kidney Yang Deficiency with impotence,

premature ejaculation, enuresis, urinary
frequency, a cold and painful lower back
Tonifies the Kidneys, strengthens Yang,
and extremities
stabilizes Jing and astringes urine
Kidneys unable to grasp Qi
Weakening of Ming Men Fire

Diarrhea due to Spleen Yang Deficiency

Tonifies and warms Spleen Yang and with borborygmus and abdominal pain
stops diarrhea Most appropriate for those with both Spleen
and Kidney Yang Deficiency

Vitiligo (soaked in wine and applied

Topically for vitiligo
topically)
CONTRAINDICATIONS, INCOMPATIBILITIES AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
 Contraindicated for those with deficient Yin with Heat signs or constipation.
 Contraindicated for those with Damp-Heat causing atrophy of the bones.
 Use cautiously for Cold Deficiency of the Stomach.
 Use with caution during pregnancy.

INCOMPATIBILITIES
 Antagonizes Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao.

HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
MAJOR COMBINATIONS

Sm. Juglandis Sm. Cuscutae Sm. Myristicae

 Hu Tao Ren Tu Si Zi Rou Dou Kou
Lignum Aquilariae Fr. Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fr. Schisandrae
Resinatum Yi Zhi Ren Wu Wei Zi
Chen Xiang Fr. Evodiae
(Sm. Cuscutae) Wu Zhu Yu
(Tu Si Zi)

Impotence. Nighttime and daytime Daybreak diarrhea with

urinary frequency due to
Kidney Yang Deficiency.
Severe lower back pain or
premature ejaculation, cough
and wheezing from
Kidney Yang  Deficiency.
abdominal pain, and
borborygmus, relieved upon
evacuation, and a deep thin
pulse with a white tongue
coat.
Diarrhea from
Spleen Yang Deficiency with
Cold.

Sm. Juglandis Fr. Foeniculi Sm. Myristicae

Hu Tao Ren Xiao Hui Xiang Rou Dou Kou

Low back pain with Kidney Yang  Deficiency with Diarrhea due to

premature ejaculation,
coughing and wheezing due
to Kidney Yang Deficiency.
Fortifies Kidney Yang to
help it grasp the Qi  in
treating asthma, coughs and
wheezing, strengthens the
sinews and bones and treats
aching of the lower back and
knees, impotence and
premature ejaculation due to
Lower Jiao  Cold .
clear, frequent, profuse Spleen Yang Deficiency.
urination or spermatorrhea or
dysmenorrhea with lower
back ache, late periods and
coldness in the lower
abdomen.
Spleen Yang Deficiency or
Stomach Cold with epigastric
distention, anorexia, nausea,
explosive diarrhea or
unformed stools with gripping
abdominal pain.

Ootheca Mantidis Rz. Dioscoreae Ootheca Mantidis

Sang Piao Xiao Shan Yao Sang Piao Xiao
Fr. Rubi Fr. Chebulae Sm. Cuscutae
Fu Pen Zi He Zi Tu Si Zi
Rx. Linderae Poria Rx. Linderae
Wu Yao Fu Ling Wu Yao
Fr. Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Rz. Atractylodis Fr. Alpiniae Oxyphyllae
Yi Zhi Ren Macrocephalae Yi Zhi Ren
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata Bai Zhu
Shu Di Huang Rx. Aconiti Lateralis
Fr. Corni Preparata
Shan Zhu Yu Zhi Fu Zi
End. Corneum Gigeriae Rz. Zingiberis Preparata
 Galli Pao Jiang
Ji Nei Jin
Calcined Fossilia Ossis
Mastodi
Duan Long Gu
Calcined Concha Ostreae
Duan Mu Li
Hb. Taxilli
Sang Ji Sheng

Chronic urinary incontinence Chronic malaria, enteritis, and Urinary incontinence and
in adolescents or adults. other chronic gastrointestinal polyuria.
disorders with diarrhea.

Cx. Eucommiae  
Du Zhong
Sm. Juglandis
Hu Tao Ren

Heaviness, coldness and    

extreme pain in the lower
back.

NO T E S

1. The literal translation is “tonify bone resin”.

2. It treats the Lower Jiao when Yuan Qi is Deficient or Cold.
3. It generates Earth - the Spleen becomes warm and strong.
4. It has recently been used for uterine bleeding, excessive menstrual bleeding,
post-abortion excessive bleeding, bleeding due to birth control pill or IUD use,
hemophilia, epistaxis and ulcers.
5. It helps the Yang to ascend.
6. When used for vitiligo, the affected area should be exposed to daylight after
application for 10 minutes or 2-5 minutes under ultraviolet light. It should be
washed to prevent local skin reactions. If reactions occur cease using Bu Gu Zhi.
7. It has been shown to prevent miscarriage.
8. Its hemostatic action has a slow onset.
9. It also has a fracture healing ability.
10. This herb can be used alone or served with rice congee for polyuria in the elderly.
11. It can be used alone as a powder taken with warm liquor for low back pain.
12. Both Bu Gu Zhi and Sm. Astragali Complanati Sha Yuan Zi tonify
Kidney Yang, astringe Jing and treat urinary dysfunction. Bu Gu Zhi is very warm,
tonifies Spleen Yang and astringes diarrhea. Sha Yuan Zi is not too warm or
 drying and brightens eyes. It tonifies the Liver and Kidney Deficiency that leads to
blurred vision.
13. Both Bu Gu Zhi and Fr. Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Yi Zhi Ren tonify the Spleen and
Kidneys, fortify Yang, stop diarrhea, astringe Jing and urine and are commonly
used to treat Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiencies. Bu Gu Zhi Primarily warms the
Kidneys thereby indirectly warms the Spleen Yang. It treats chronic diarrhea and
cock-crow diarrhea due to Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiencies. It also treats
lower back pain. Yi Zhi Ren more strongly warms Spleen Yang, and secondarily
warms the Kidneys to treat diarrhea associated with with the exposure of the
Spleen and Stomach to Cold. it also treats uterine bleeding.
14. Dry-fried Psoralea Chao Bu Gu Zhi is less bitter and drying and less acrid and
dispersing to better warm the Yang and stop diarrhea.
15. Salt-fried Psoralea Yan Chao Bu Gu Zhi also known as Prepared Psoralea Zhi Bu
Gu Zhi directly enters the Kidney channel to better tonify and astringe the
Lower Jiao. it is often used to treat urinary incontinence, impotence and Kidneys
failing to grasp Qi.
16. Wine-fried Psoralea Jiu Chao Bu Gu Zhi has an enhanced acrid flavor and
dispersing ability to strengthen its ability to treat Wind-Damp Bi.