Description
English Name and Source
· Chinese Name: 侧柏叶 (Cè Bǎi Yè)
· Pharmaceutical Name: Platycladi Cacumen
· Botanical Source: The dried twigs and leaves of the Oriental Arborvitae tree (Platycladus orientalis, formerly Biota orientalis or Thuja orientalis). It is an evergreen tree in the cypress family (Cupressaceae).
Biota Leaves / Platycladi Cacumen is most renowned as a blood-cooling herb, but it has other important functions. From the TCM perspective, Biota Leaves / Platycladi Cacumen is a fundamental herb for managing hemorrhagic conditions, specifically those driven by pathological heat agitating the blood.
TCM Perspective
This defines the herb’s inherent energy and how it interacts with the body.
· Nature (性, Xìng) : Slightly Cold (微寒, Wēi Hán)
· Flavour (味, Wèi) : Bitter (苦, Kǔ) and Astringent (涩, Sè)
· Meridian Affinities (归经, Guī Jīng) : Lung (肺, Fèi), Liver (肝, Gān) and Spleen (脾, Pí)
These properties directly indicate its functions:
· The Cold nature allows it to clear Heat, particularly from the blood.
· The Bitter flavour helps to purge and dry, contributing to its heat-clearing and dampness-drying effects.
· The Astringent flavour is crucial, as it enables the herb to constrain and hold in (e.g., to stop bleeding by astringing) and to reduce excessive discharge.
· This tells us that Biota Leaves / Platycladi Cacumen’s main actions are related to treating disorders involving the Blood, which is governed by the Liver and Spleen, and the respiratory system governed by the Lungs.
Interpretation:
· The Cold nature allows it to clear Heat, particularly from the blood.
· The Bitter flavour helps to purge and dry, contributing to its heat-clearing and dampness-drying effects.
· The Astringent flavor is crucial, as it enables the herb to constrain and hold in (e.g., to stop bleeding by astringing) and to reduce excessive discharge.
· This tells us that Cè Bǎi Yè’s main actions are related to treating disorders involving the Blood, which is governed by the Liver and Spleen, and the respiratory system governed by the Lungs.
Health Benefits
1. Cools the Blood and Stops Bleeding
· This is its primary and most celebrated function. It is especially effective for bleeding patterns caused by Heat in the Blood (血热, Xuè Rè), which forces blood to move recklessly out of its vessels.
· It can be used for bleeding anywhere in the body, including:
· Hemoptysis (coughing up blood) – from Lungs Heat
· Epistaxis (nosebleeds) – from Lungs or Stomach Heat
· Hematemesis (vomiting blood) – from Stomach Heat
· Hematuria (blood in urine) – from Bladder Heat
· Metrorrhagia (excessive uterine bleeding) – from Blood Heat
· It can be used raw for stronger cooling effect or carbonized for a stronger astringent, bleeding-stopping effect.
2. Resolves Phlegm and Relieves Cough
· Its bitter and cold nature helps to clear Lungs Heat and resolve yellow, sticky phlegm. It is used for coughs and wheezing due to heat in the lungs.
3. Promotes Hair Growth and Treats Alopecia
· A very famous traditional use. Biota Leaves / Platycladi Cacumen is applied externally (in tinctures, washes, or oils) to the scalp to treat hair loss, premature greying, and seborrheic dermatitis. It is believed to work by cooling blood heat in the scalp that affects the hair follicles. This use is also supported by modern studies showing it may improve local circulation.
4. Clears Heat and Toxins
· Its cold nature allows it to clear general heat and toxic heat. Externally, it can be used for burns and sores.
Common Applications in TCM
· Various types of bleeding : Especially when accompanied by signs of heat (bright red blood, thirst, irritability, rapid pulse).
· Cough and asthma : With thick, yellow phlegm due to lung heat.
· Hair loss (alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia) and premature greying : Primarily used in topical preparations.
How It’s Used and a Classic Formula
· Preparation : Decoction, powder, or applied topically as a wash or in oil. Charring the herb enhances its hemostatic (bleeding-stopping) property.
· A Classic Formula : Si Sheng Wan (四生丸) – “Four Fresh/Fresh-Grind Pill”
· This formula is a classic example of Biota Leaves / Platycladi Cacumen’s use. It contains four fresh ingredients ground into a juice:
1. Fresh Biota Leaves (新鲜侧柏叶)
2. Fresh Lotus Leaf (新鲜荷叶)
3. Fresh Reed Rhizome (新鲜芦根)
4. Fresh Mugwort Leaf (新鲜艾叶)
· Function : To cool the blood and stop bleeding dramatically for conditions like hemoptysis or epistaxis due to blood heat.
Precaution
As with all TCM herbs, its use is dictated by pattern diagnosis.
· It is contraindicated for bleeding caused by Deficiency and Cold, rather than Heat. Symptoms of this would include pale, thin blood, cold limbs, fatigue, and a deep, weak pulse.
· Its cold and bitter nature can damage the Spleen and Stomach if used long-term or in cases of existing Spleen Qi Deficiency with symptoms like poor appetite, loose stools, and fatigue.
