She Chuang Zi蛇床子

Fructus CnidiiCnidium Seed

Also known asCnidium Fruit

Usual doses

Dries Dampness, kills parasites and stops itching topically: Topically as a powder or ointment for weeping, itchy skin lesions (especially genital)
Scabies and tinea
Disperses Cold, dispels Wind and dries Dampness: Vaginal discharge due to Cold-Dampness
Wind-Cold-Dampness affecting the Kidneys and Du channel with lower back pain
Warms and tonifies the Kidneys and strengthens *Yang*: Impotence or infertility due to Kidney Yang Deficiency or Cold Womb

Not to be taken orally in Damp-Heat of the Lower Jiao.
Not to be taken orally in Yin Deficiency with Heat signs, or where frequent erections and spermatorrhea are present.

Antagonistic with Cx. Moutan Mu Dan Pi.
Antagonistic with Sm. Crotonis Ba Dou.
Antagonistic with Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae (Chuan Bei Mu) and Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii (Zhe Bei Mu).

- Ming Fan
- Huang Bai
As a vaginal suppository for itching from trichomoniasis.
- Ku Shen
- Bai Bu
Itchy, weeping skin lesions.
- Qing Fen
Itchy, weeping skin lesions from flare-ups of chronic eczema, genital eczema, or scabies.
As an external wash for weeping, itchy rashes of the scrotum and groin.
- Shan Zhu Yu
- Shan Yao
- Lu Jiao Jiao
Cold-Damp vaginal discharge.
Cold-Damp vaginal discharge.
Low-back pain from Cold-Dampness.
- Tu Si Zi
- Wu Wei Z
- i
Taken orally for impotence or infertility from Kidney Deficiency.
- Rou Gu
- Rou Cong Rong
- Ba Ji Tian
Impotence or infertility from waning Ming Men Fire.
- Ming Fan
As an external wash for chronic vaginal discharge with itching and eczema.
- Chuan Jiao
- Bai Bu
- Ming Fan
- Ku Shen
As an external wash for genital itching, paired with Long Dan Xie Gan Tang taken internally.
- Egg Yolk
Applied topically for a swollen, painful scrotum.
- Ming Fan
- Liu Huang
- Xiong Huang
Weeping skin lesions.
- Sesame Oil
Applied topically for itchy patches of skin lesions.
Taken internally for vaginal discharge.

It has an astringent quality.
It is occasionally used for asthma and bronchitis.
It addresses swelling and pain of the female genitalia, impotence, damp scrotal itching in men, genital itching with vaginal discharge, infertility from uterine Cold in women, Wind-Damp Bi, scabies, lichen simplex, and damp sores; it also eases joint movement, treats seizures and noxious wounds, warms the Middle, sends Qi downward, warms the womb, strengthens male genital function, improves complexion, and resolves infertility.
Used by itself as an external wash or soak for hemorrhoids.
Used by itself as a topical powder for scabies.
Used by itself as a vaginal suppository for vaginal discharge.
She Chuang Zi and Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis (Ku Shen) are both excellent, when applied externally, at drying Dampness, killing parasites, and stopping itching, so they are frequently paired for these purposes; Ku Shen is intensely bitter and cold, clears Heat, dries Dampness, and promotes urination, and treats Damp-Heat dysenteric disorders, jaundice, and urinary difficulty from clumped Damp-Heat, while She Chuang Zi is acrid, bitter, and warm, with a strong warming effect on the Kidneys.