Witnessed by: TCM · Western · Unani

Dragon's blood (Daemonorops draco), of the Arecaceae (Palmae) family. Climbing spiny rattan palm bearing scaly fruits crusted with red resin; native range: the rattan palms of Sumatra, Borneo and the Malay archipelago. Globally recognized as xue jie (血竭) in Chinese, dam-ul-akhwain (دم الأخوين) in Arabic, and dragon's blood, blood of the two brothers in English. The part used is resin exuded from the ripe fruit. Brittle dark-red lumps and sticks, odourless and tasteless cold, melting to a bright blood-red and sweetish-balsamic scent when warmed.

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.

DRAGON'S BLOOD

IDENTITY

Name

Common: Dragon's blood
Scientific name: Daemonorops draco (Willd.) Blume
Family: Arecaceae (Palmae)

Form

Part used: resin exuded from the ripe fruit

PROPERTIES

Nature

Taste

how the plant declares itself on the tongue

TCM: sweet · salty
Western: astringent
Unani: astringent · bitter

Temperature

TCM: neutral
Western: cool (& dry)
Unani: cold (& dry, 2nd degree)

Affinity

where in the body it travels

Organs / channels

TCM: Heart · Liver
Western: blood · bowels · skin
Unani: stomach · intestines · uterus

PRACTICE

Virtue

Actions

TCM: invigorates the blood and dispels stasis, stops bleeding, relieves pain, generates flesh and closes sores (chiefly external)
Western: astringent, styptic, vulnerary; historically a wound- and flux-remedy and a dye
Unani: habis-ud-dam (styptic), qabiz (astringent), mujaffif (desiccant), muqawwi-e-litha (gum-strengthener)

Cautions

Contraindications: pregnancy; absence of blood stasis
Toxicity: low; a resin taken in small amounts, chiefly applied externally

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