Shan Zhu Yu (Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit, Cornus)

Chinese Herb Actions

Chinese Herb Dosage

• What is the typical dosage of Shan Zhu Yu?

  6–12 g in decoction, increased to 20–30 g in severe abandoned/collapse patterns with profuse sweating. The pit (seed) is traditionally removed before use.

  Source: owner’s Five Branches notes (2–3 qian, sometimes 1 liang); standard materia medica ranges. Reference only — not a prescription.

Chinese Herb Contraindications & Cautions

• Are there cautions or contraindications for Shan Zhu Yu?

  Shan Zhu Yu is warm and astringent, so it should not be used where there is damp-heat in the Lower Burner (e.g. painful, difficult urination) or interior excess heat/fire. As with astringent herbs generally, it treats the manifestation (leakage) and is combined with root-treating herbs; it is unsuitable for exterior conditions or where fullness or unresolved pathogen is present.

  Source: owner’s Five Branches notes (contraindications: fire inside, Lower-Jiao damp-heat); standard materia medica cautions for astringents.

Chinese Herb Toxicity & Overdose

• Low. Shan Zhu Yu is the fruit of the Asiatic cornelian cherry (a food-grade fruit), and no significant toxicity is reported at normal therapeutic doses. The reviewed research reports no toxicity signal for the fruit.

  Source: materia medica consensus; no toxicity signal in the reviewed research (PMC 8072387). Traditional-use framing, not a therapeutic claim.

Herb-Drug Interactions

• No well-established clinical herb–drug interactions are documented. Because Cornus iridoids show glucose-lowering activity (α-glucosidase inhibition) in laboratory research, a theoretical additive effect with antidiabetic drugs is reasonable to monitor. (Flagged for practitioner confirmation — absence of documented interactions is not proof of safety.)

Western / Biomedical Research

Chinese Herb Clinical Studies & Research

Provided as research context — a summary of published biomedical study, not a therapeutic or medical claim.

• Is there modern research on Cornus officinalis (Shan Zhu Yu)?

  Yes, but it is largely preclinical. The best-studied constituents are the iridoid glycosides loganin and morroniside — the marker compounds used for quality control in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. In cell and animal models the fruit and its iridoids show antioxidant, immunomodulatory and antidiabetic activity, and protect against diabetic nephropathy by modulating the AGEs/RAGE pathway and reducing podocyte injury; morroniside also shows neuroprotective effects. Human clinical evidence remains limited to a few small trials.

  Sources: PubMed 33912050 / PMC 8072387 (review of Cornus officinalis active components & pharmacology); PMC 10354237 (review, Cornus officinalis in diabetic nephropathy); PMC 5345663 (morroniside neuroprotection). Research context, not a therapeutic claim.

Chinese Herb Notes

• How is Shan Zhu Yu different from Wu Wei Zi?

  Both are sour, astringent tonics that secure leakage, but Shan Zhu Yu enters the Liver and Kidneys to secure the essence, while Wu Wei Zi enters the Lungs and Kidneys to secure the qi. Shan Zhu Yu is favored for essence-and-blood leakage (spermatorrhea, uterine bleeding, sweating of collapse) and for tonifying Liver/Kidney deficiency; Wu Wei Zi is favored for Lung-qi leakage such as chronic cough and wheezing alongside its Kidney-securing action.

  Common combinations:

  • With Shu Di Huang and Shan Yao (the Liu Wei Di Huang Wan framework) to tonify Liver-and-Kidney yin.
  • With Bu Gu Zhi, Du Zhong or Tu Si Zi to warm the Kidneys and secure the essence for spermatorrhea and frequent urination.
  • With Long Gu and Mu Li to secure the essence and stop sweating; in large doses with strong qi tonics (e.g. Ren Shen) to stem collapse with profuse sweating.

  Source: owner’s Five Branches notes (Shan Zhu Yu vs Wu Wei Zi comparison & combinations); standard materia medica.