HomeTraditional Chinese Medicine HerbsSpine Date Seed

Spine Date Seed

Name

Spine Date Seed

Latin Pharmaceutical Name

Ziziphi Spinosae Semen

Chinese Name

酸枣仁

Category

Fruits and seeds

Spine Date SeedMore Info

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Hebei, Shaanxi, Liaoning, Henan.

Macroscopic Features

Flat spherical or elliptical shape, externally purplish-red or purplish-brown, smooth and lustrous, sometimes has cracks. Some specimens have round bulging sides; some have one relatively flat side. Center has one bulging longitudinal line, another side is slightly raised up. One end is indented, can see linear hilum, another end has tiny raised chalaza. Seed coat is relatively brittle, milky-white. 2 cotyledons, pale yellow, oily. faint odor, tasteless.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material is large, full, with purplish-red outer skin, without outer shell.

Properties

Sweet, sour, neutral

Functions

Nourishes heart, supplements liver, calms heart and spirit, astringes sweat, engenders fluid. Apply to deficient restlessness and insomnia, palpitation and nightmares, sweating due to debility, damage of fluid and thirst.

Processed Form

Fried suan zao ren: Clean suan zao ren, fry by the way of qing chao process, until bulging, color turned dark. Pound in pieces when used. Similar to suan zao ren, externally bulging with burnt spots; slightly with burnt aromatic smells, tasteless. Effects are the same as suan zao ren.

Origin

The dried mature seed of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H. F. Chou. (Rhamnaceae)

Spine Date SeedHerbs in the formula

Spleen-Restoring Decoction

Action：Boosts qi, supplements blood; fortifies the spleen, and nourishes the heart.

Indication：1. Qi and blood deficiency of the heart and spleen marked by palpitations, amnesia, insomnia, night sweat, deficiency-heat, tiredness, reduced food intake, withered-sallow complexion, a pale tongue with a thin, white coating, and thready, weak pulses.

View Details Tonic formulas

Sour Jujube Decoction

Action：Nourishes blood and calms the mind, clears heat and relieves vexation.

Indication：Suan Zao Ren Tang is indicated for deficiency of liver-blood with internal deficiency heat. The symptoms are vexation, insomnia, palpitations, restlessness, dizziness, dry throat, dry mouth, a red tongue, and a wiry, thin pulse.

View Details Sedative and tranquilizing formulas

Celestial Emperor Heart-Supplementing Elixir

Action：Enriches yin and clears heat, nourishes blood and calms the mind.

Indication：Deficiency of yin and insufficiency of blood have lead to the disturbance of the mind. Symptoms include palpitations, vexation, insomnia, mental fatigue, forgetfulness, nocturnal emission, feverish feeling in palms and soles, aphtha, a sore mouth and tongue, and dry stool. The tongue is red with scanty coating, and the pulse is thin and rapid.

View Details Sedative and tranquilizing formulas