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Fleeceflower root (He shou wu in chinese) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to reduce cholesterol, obesity and help fight heart disease in Asia. Extracts of the plant have shown antipyretic, antitumour, hypoglycemic (treat type II diabetes) and sedative activity.

Fleeceflower root is considered to be one of the most important of the Chinese herbal tonics and is widely used. It is said to restore vitality and virility, working especially on the liver and the reproductive, urinary and circulatory systems.

This herb is mild in action and very effective in tonification. It is said that anyone who takes this herb regularly for a long period can prolong his life. It serves to treat insufficiency of both the liver and kidey, deficiency of essence and blood, and deability of the lower-jiao.

Other Names:

Pharmaceutical Name (Latin): Radix Polygoni Multiflori
Botanical Name: Polygonum multiflorum
Common Name: He shou wu(chinese), Maltiflower Knotweed Root, Chinese Knotweed Root, Flowery Knotweed Root.

Origin:

Fleece flower root is the root tuber of the perennial climber Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., of the family Polygonaceae. The roots took the shape of a nude female and male. Native to east Asia, the plant is grown along the banks of streams and in valley shrub thickets in China, Japan, Malaysia, etc.

The plant grows to about 4.5 m high. It is in flower from September to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects. The plant can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Fleece flower is produced in most parts of China. The root tuber is dug in spring and autumn, preferably from plants 3 – 4 years old, washed clean, sliced and dried in the sun, which is known as raw fleece-flower root. That prepared by steaming with the juice of black soybean (till getting brown) and drying (till getting black) in the sun is called prepared fleeceflower root.

Properties:

The prepared root is sweet and astringent in flavor, slightly warm in nature, related to the liver and kidney channels.

The raw root is sweet and bitter in flavor, mild in nature, related to the heart, liver and large intestine channels.

Root which has been processed (Zhi He Shou Wu). Processing reduces toxicity and alters its properties.

Replenishes the liver and kidney, enriches vital essence and blood, lubricates the bowel, moistens the intestines, relieves constipation, and clears away toxins.

The prepared herb is slightly warm but not dry and not greasy. It functions in replenishing the liver and kidney, benefiting essence and blood, astringing primordial energy.

The raw fleece flower root can also function in clearing away toxins and lubricating the bowels, serving to treat scrofula, carbuncle and constipation due to dryness of the bowels. It’s used to treat ringworm, bleeding wounds and sores.

The leaves and roots tonify the liver and kidneys, fortify the blood, strengthen the muscles and prevent premature greying of the hair.

The stem is deobstruent (removes obstructions) and sedative. It is taken internally in the treatment of insomnia and neurasthenia (a condition of nervous debility supposed to be dependent upon impairment in the functions of the spinal cord) whilst it is applied externally to ringworm.

Chemical Constituents:

anthraquinones
phospholipids, such as lecithin
tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside
trace elements

Medicinal Usage:

Prepared fleece flower root should be used for replenishing the vital essence and blood.

The raw fleece flower root is used to treat malaria, clearing away toxins and moistening the bowels.

high blood cholesterol
tones the vital essence and blood
Brain and Nervous System Conditions
blurred vision
dizziness with tinnitus
epilepsy
neurasthenia especially with insomnia
neuritis
schizophrenia
Muscular and Skeletal Conditions
knee pain
lower back pain
fortifies muscles, tendons and bones
numbness of limbs

Applications:

1. For blood-deficiency syndrome marked by pale, dizziness, palpitation, irregular menstruation, it is used with herbs for replenishing blood and regulating menstruation, such as Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, Colla Corii Asini, Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong, etc.

2. For deficiency of both the liver and kidney and insufficiency of essence and blood manifested as weakness of the loins and legs, vertigo, blurred vision, insomnia, ammesia, premature grey hair, etc., it is often used with herbs for replenishing the liver ad kidney, and enriching essence and blood, such as Semen Cuscutae, Fructus Lycii, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Radix angelicae Sinensis, Fructus Psoraleae, Radix Achyrant his, Bidentatae, etc.

3. For scrofula, pyogenic infection and ulcer of skin, it is used with herbs for softening the hard mass and removing scrofula, such as Spica Prunellae, Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae, Radix Scrophulariae, etc.

4. For chronic malaria due to deficiency of both qi and blood, it is often used with ginseng, chineseangelica root, tangerine peel, etc., as in Decoction of Fleece Flower Root and Ginseng (He Ren Yin).

5. For constipation due to deficiency of the blood and dryness of the bowels, it is often used with chinese angelica root, hemp seed, etc.

6. Dizziness, blurred vision, pre-mature grey hair,lassitude of the loins and legs, se-minal emission andspermatorrhea due to deficiency of thevital essence and blood. It is often prescribed with chinese angelica root,wolfberry fruit and dodder seed, as in Hair Beauty Pill of Seven Precious herbs (Qibao Meiran Dan).For deficiency of theliver-yin and kidney-yin accompanied with hyperactivity of the liver-yang with manifestations of dizziness, blurred vision and numbness of the extremities, it can be used together with glossyprivet fruit, loran-thus mulberry mistle-toe, white peony root,siegebeckia, etc.

7.Sores,swellingsand scrofula. For treating sores and swellings, it can be used with flavescentsophora, peppermint and dandelion; for scrofula, it can be used with prunella spike,

Zhejiang fritillary bulb and scrophularia root ; to treat scabies, tinea and pruritus, it can be decocted together with argyi leaf into lotion forexternal use.

8. For consti-pation due to defi-ciency of the blood and dryness of the bowels, it is often used with chinese angelica root, hemp seed, etc.

Dosage:

10-30g

Decocted in water for an oral dose.

Cautions:

This herb is contraindicated in cases with severe phlegm-damp or diarrhea. In cases of loose stool or profuse damp phlegm, fleece flower root should not be prescribed.

Also, people with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

Excessive doses can cause skin rash and numbness of the extremeties.

Although no specific mention has been made for this species, there have been reports that some members of this genus can cause photosensitivity in susceptible people.

Many species also contain oxalic acid (the distinctive lemony flavor of sorrel) – whilst not toxic this substance can bind up other minerals making them unavailable to the body and leading to mineral deficiency. A number of common foods such as sorrel and rhubarb contain oxalic acid and the leaves of most members of this genus are nutritious and beneficial to eat in moderate quantities. Cooking the leaves will reduce their content of oxalic acid.