Witnessed by: TCM · Unani
Chinese dodder (Cuscuta chinensis), of the Convolvulaceae family. Leafless parasitic annual twiner of thread-like yellow stems, without true roots; native range: fields and hillsides across China and temperate Asia, twining on other plants. Globally recognized as tu si zi (菟丝子) in Chinese, aftimun in Arabic, and dodder seed, South-sea dodder in English. The part used is seed. Minute grey-brown to yellow seeds, hard and gritty, all but tasteless, becoming faintly sticky and mucilaginous when soaked.
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.
CHINESE DODDER
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Chinese dodder
- Scientific name
- Cuscuta chinensis Lam.
- Family
- Convolvulaceae
Form
- Part used
- seed
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- pungent · sweet
- Unani
- pungent · bitter
Temperature
- TCM
- neutral
- Unani
- hot & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Kidney · Liver · Spleen
- Unani
- brain · stomach · liver
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- tonifies Kidney yang and yin, secures the essence and quiets the fetus, nourishes the Liver and brightens the eyes, and binds up leakage
- Unani
- mus-hil-e-sauda (purges black bile), mufatteh-e-sudad (deobstruent), muqawwi-e-dimagh (brain tonic), jali
Cautions
- Contraindications
- yin deficiency with marked heat, constipation from dryness, and scanty concentrated urine
- Toxicity
- none of note; a mild and well-tolerated tonic
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