Chinese Herbalism
Sichuan ox knee
Cyathula officinalis
Also known as cyathula root, ox knee, chuan niu xi, chuān niú xī, jiǔ chuān niú xī.
Chuan niu xi is the long, cylindrical, greyish-brown root of a perennial herb of the amaranth family cultivated in the mountains of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou, dug in autumn or winter and dried. Its name means Sichuan ox knee, from the swollen leaf nodes that resemble a knee joint, and its reputation is likewise for the knees and legs. It is one of two ox knee roots in the materia medica: chuan niu xi moves blood and unblocks, while huai niu xi (Achyranthes bidentata) is the gentler tonic for liver and kidney.
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Indications what the tradition reached for it in
- Amenorrhea from blood stasis
- Dysmenorrhea with clots
- Retained placenta and difficult labor (within TCM practice)
- Abdominal masses from stasis
- Traumatic injury with bruising and swelling
- Wind-damp painful obstruction of the knees and lower legs
- Painful urination with blood
- Urinary stones
- Hypertension with headache and dizziness (as a downward-guiding herb)
- Chronic knee and low back pain with stasis
Specific indications
A painful, swollen knee or heavy aching lower legs where stasis and damp are held below the waist and the patient is not weak
Menstrual pain with dark clotted blood that eases once the flow is established
Safety
The record lists 6 contraindications; open the plate in the library to read them in full.
In practice
Choose chuan niu xi when you want movement below the waist. It drives out stasis for amenorrhea, clotted dysmenorrhea and retained placenta, it unblocks the joints for knee and leg pain with damp and stasis, and it opens the water passages for painful or bloody urination and stones.
In Chinese medicine
Temperature: neutral. Taste: sweet, slightly bitter. Channels: Liver, Kidney. Actions: Drives out blood stasis and unblocks the menses; Unblocks and benefits the joints, especially of the lower body; Promotes urination and relieves painful urinary dysfunction; Guides the action of other herbs downward.
Dosing as the sources wrote it
| Preparation | As written | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Decoction | 5-10 g dried root daily | 5000-10000 mg |
| Wine-fried root in decoction | 5-10 g daily | 5000-10000 mg |
| Tincture (1:5, 45%) | 2-4 mL three times daily | 2-4 mL |
Doses are reproduced from the sources for practitioners and are not a recommendation for any person.
From the sources
Overview. Chuan niu xi is the long, cylindrical, greyish-brown root of a perennial herb of the amaranth family cultivated in the mountains of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou, dug in autumn or winter and dried. Its name means Sichuan ox knee, from the swollen leaf nodes that resemble a knee joint, and its reputation is likewise for the knees and legs. It is one of two ox knee roots in the materia medica: chuan niu xi moves blood and unblocks, while huai niu xi (Achyranthes bidentata) is the gentler tonic for liver and kidney.
Clinical Notes. Choose chuan niu xi when you want movement below the waist. It drives out stasis for amenorrhea, clotted dysmenorrhea and retained placenta, it unblocks the joints for knee and leg pain with damp and stasis, and it opens the water passages for painful or bloody urination and stones.
Chinese Medicine Profile. Temperature: neutral. Taste: sweet, slightly bitter. Channels: Liver, Kidney. Actions: Drives out blood stasis and unblocks the menses; Unblocks and benefits the joints, especially of the lower body; Promotes urination and relieves painful urinary dysfunction; Guides the action of other herbs downward.
In formulas
Sichuan ox knee stands in 18 documented formulas in the library, among them zúo gui wán, tiàn má gòu tếng yìn, jia wèi èr miào wán, sãn bì tāng, shên tông zhú yù tāng.
Often paired with
RehmanniaRehmannia glutinosa
Chinese boxthornLycium chinense
Chinese YamDioscorea opposita
Shan Zhu YuCornus officinalis
Tu Si ZiCuscuta chinensis
PoriaWolfiporia extensaNearby on the shelf
Shiny bugleweedLycopus lucidus
Sichuan chinaberryMelia toosendan
Sichuan fritillaryFritillaria cirrhosa
Sichuan Lovage RhizomeLigusticum chuanxiong
Sichuan teaselDipsacus asper
SicklepodSenna obtusifolia
Sickletop LousewortPedicularis racemosa
Silk treeAlbizia julibrissinThe whole plate is in the library. The compass, Compare, the Sky of eleven hundred plants and the formulary open with an email address and a password, free, with the formula builder and its safety engine. Herbert without limit, his formulating, clients, the handouts and the labels are the paid room.
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