Bai (Ci) Ji Li白蒺藜

Fructus TribuliCaltrop Fruit

Also known asPuncture-Vine Fruit · Tribulus

Category: Herbs that extinguish internal Wind
Nature: neutral
Taste: pungent, bitter
Channels entered: Liver
Secondary channels: Lung, Bladder
Dosage: 6–15 g

Usual doses

Dosage: 6–15 g
Tincture: 2–4 ml

Actions & indications

Calms the Liver and anchors *Yang*: Liver Yang Rising with headache, vertigo or dizziness
Dredges Liver Qi and disperses Stagnation and clumping: Liver Qi Stagnation with pain and distention in the flanks, irregular menstruation or insufficient lactation
Dispels Wind-Heat and brightens the eyes: Red, swollen and painful eyes
Excess tearing
Dispels Wind and stops itching: Any kind of skin lesion with significant itching, such as hives
Vitiligo (can be used as a stand-alone herb)
Extinguishes Liver Wind: Liver Wind

Contraindications

Exercise caution during pregnancy.
Exercise caution in Qi or Blood Deficiency.
Topical use can occasionally cause rash and itching.

Interactions

Combined use with diuretics such as chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide (Lasix), bumetanide (Bumex), and torsemide (Demadex) may increase the loss of water and electrolytes.

Combinations

- Lu Dou Yi
- Bai Shao
- Ju Hua
Dizziness with blurred vision from Liver Yang Rising.
- Gou Teng
- Zhen Zhu Mu
- Niu Xi
Headache, dizziness, and vertigo from hypertension due to Liver Yang Rising.
- Chai Hu
- Xiang Fu
- Qing Pi
Pain and distention in the chest and hypochondrium.
- Xiao Hui Xiang
- Ru Xiang
- Mo Yao
Running piglet disorder; bulging disorders; mobile abdominal masses.
- Chuan Shan Jia
- Wang Bu Liu Xing
Swollen, painful breast masses.
- Xiang Fu
- Qing Pi
Pain and swelling of the chest and flanks, or insufficient lactation, from Liver Qi Stagnation.
- Jue Ming Zi
- Ju Hua
- Gan Cao
Red, painful, swollen eyes with heavy tearing from Wind-Heat invading the Liver channel; hypertension.
- Mu Zei
- Ju Hua
- Chan Tui
Corneal opacities.
- Tian Men Dong
- Shu Di Huang
- Shi Hu
Visual disturbance from Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency.
- Chan Tui
- Fang Feng
Itchy skin from Wind-Heat.
- Bai Xian Pi
- Ma Chi Xian
Used as an external wash for eczema.
- Dang Gui
- Zhi He Shou Wu
- Fang Feng
Intense itching from ascendant Liver Yang together with Blood Deficiency.
- Sha Yuan Zi
Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys so the eyes are nourished, anchors Liver Yang and expels Wind-Heat, addressing many eye disorders — particularly Liver and Kidney Deficiency combined with either Liver Qi Stagnation and Liver Yang Rising, or External Wind-Heat affecting the eyes.
- Gou Teng
- Mu Li
- Tian Ma
- Niu Xi
Hypertension with vertigo.
- Chai Hu
- Zhi Ke
- Xiang Fu
- Yu Jin
- Chuan Lian Zi
- Yan Hu Suo
Chest and hypochondriac pain.
- Zao Jiao Ci
- Jiang Huang
- Bai Hua She She Cao
Hypochondriac pain associated with hepatitis.
- Bie Jia
- Dan Shen
- Mu Li
- Zao Jiao Ci
- Hong Hua
- Tao Ren
Palpable masses from Liver Qi Stagnation.
- Jue Ming Zi
- Zhi Zi
- Mu Zei
- Sang Ye
- Ju Hua
- Shi Jue Ming
- Mi Meng Hua
Red, painful eyes with excess tearing and photophobia.
- Ju Hua
- Man Jing Zi
- Jue Ming Zi
- Lian Qiao
Superficial visual obstruction.
- Dang Gui
- He Shou Wu
- Han Fang Ji
Skin lesions, chronic eczema, or neurodermatitis.
- Dang Gui
- Jing Jie
- Chan Tui
Eczema with itching.

Notes

This herb mainly treats Liver Yang Rising, which causes headache, eye trouble, and nervousness, and it also specifically addresses eye conditions and itchy skin.
Its action centers almost exclusively on the Liver.
For vitiligo, 15 g may be decocted alone, twice daily.
Bai Ji Li and Hb. Equiseti Hiemalis Mu Zei both disperse Wind-Heat, brighten the eyes, and stop itching, and can be paired for these purposes. Bai Ji Li calms and extinguishes Internal Wind and courses the Liver to move stagnant Qi and Blood, while Mu Zei releases the muscle layer, dispels Wind-Dampness, and is stronger at clearing superficial visual obstruction.
Apart from both treating the eyes, Bai Ji Li and Sm. Astragali Complanati Sha Yuan Zi differ entirely in nature and action: Bai Ji Li courses the Liver and expels Wind to brighten the eyes without any tonifying effect, whereas Sha Yuan Zi tonifies the Liver and Kidneys to the same end; the two are often combined for eye disease.
Dry-fried Fructus Tribuli Chao Bai Ji Li is more effective at calming the Liver, anchoring Yang, and relieving constraint, and is used for Liver-Yang headache and dizziness, chest and flank pain, and insufficient lactation.
Some sources credit it with treating painful urination and urgent incontinence stemming from a spastic Bladder or from metabolic acidosis.