Witnessed by: TCM · Western
Fo-ti (Polygonum multiflorum), of the Polygonaceae family. Twining herbaceous perennial vine with a large fusiform tuberous root; native range: Central and southern China; cultivated in China, Japan and Taiwan. Globally recognized as he shou wu (何首乌) in Chinese, and he shou wu, Chinese knotweed, tuber fleeceflower, flowery knotweed in English. The part used is tuberous root — prepared (zhi, cured in black-soybean juice) and unprepared (sheng). Heavy reddish-brown tuber, the prepared root near-black and sweetish, the raw root more bitter and astringent.
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.
FO-TI
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Fo-ti
- Scientific name
- Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.
- Family
- Polygonaceae
Form
- Part used
- tuberous root — prepared (zhi, cured in black-soybean juice) and unprepared (sheng)
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- bitter · sweet · astringent
- Western
- sweet · bitter · astringent
Temperature
- TCM
- warm (slightly)
- Western
- warm
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Liver · Kidney
- Western
- liver · kidneys · blood
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- prepared — tonifies the liver and kidney, nourishes the blood and augments essence (jing), blackens the hair and strengthens the sinews and bones; unprepared — moistens the intestines and moves the stool, resolves toxicity and dispels wind from the skin
- Western
- longevity and blood tonic, mild anthraquinone laxative (raw), antioxidant and cholesterol-modulating; used to darken hair and support the liver and kidneys
Cautions
Contraindications: spleen deficiency with loose stools or damp-phlegm; existing liver disease; the raw root moves the bowel and should not be used where a tonic effect is wanted
Toxicity: documented idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity — cases of acute liver injury are recorded, more often with the raw root and prolonged or high-dose use; raw root also loosens the bowel via anthraquinones
Interactions
- Western
- hepatotoxic drugs: additive risk of drug-induced liver injury with the herb's own idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity · cardiac glycosides: anthraquinone laxative effect of the raw root causes potassium loss, potentiating digoxin toxicity
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