Witnessed by: TCM · Unani
Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis), of the Pinaceae family. Medium pine with a flat spreading crown and paired needles; native range: the mountains of northern and central China. Globally recognized as song jie (松节) in Chinese, sanaubar (صنوبر) in Arabic, and Chinese pine, Chinese red pine, pine node in English. The part used is the resinous knotty wood of the branch and stem nodes. Heavy oil-soaked knots of hard wood, sharply resinous, oily to the touch and slow to burn.
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 PINE
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Chinese pine
- Scientific name
- Pinus tabuliformis Carrière
- Family
- Pinaceae
Form
- Part used
- the resinous knotty wood of the branch and stem nodes
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- bitter · pungent
- Unani
- bitter · pungent
Temperature
- TCM
- warm
- Unani
- hot & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Liver · Kidney
- Unani
- joints · nerves
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- dispels wind-dampness, unblocks the channels and collaterals, and relieves the pain of painful obstruction (bi)
- Unani
- muhallil (resolvent), musakkin-e-alam (analgesic), muqawwi-e-asab (nerve strengthener)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- yin and blood deficiency with heat and dryness
- Toxicity
- large or prolonged doses may injure the yin and body fluids
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