Witnessed by: TCM
Corydalis (Corydalis yanhusuo), of the Papaveraceae family. Low spring perennial grown from a small tuber; native range: cultivated in Zhejiang and eastern China. Globally recognized as yan hu suo (延胡索) in Chinese, and yanhusuo, corydalis tuber in English. The part used is tuber. Small hard yellow tuber, acrid and bitter, faintly warming.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
CORYDALIS
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- corydalis
- Scientific name
- Corydalis yanhusuo (Y.H.Chou & Chun C.Hsu) W.T.Wang
- Family
- Papaveraceae
Form
- Part used
- tuber
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- pungent · bitter
Temperature
- TCM
- warm
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Liver · Heart · Spleen · Lung
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- invigorates the blood, moves the qi, stops pain
Cautions
- Contraindications
- contraindicated in pregnancy and in menorrhagia or bleeding without stasis
- Toxicity
- large doses may cause drowsiness or trembling
This is the card. Sign in for the full four-tradition entry — the aligned TCM · Ayurveda · Western · Unani reading, actions, dosing and cautions.