Pharmaceutical Name:

Fructus Corni

Botanical Name:

Cornus officinalis Sieb. Et Zucc.

Common Name:

Cornus fruit
Dogwood fruit

Source of Earliest Record:

Shennong Bencao Jing

Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations:

The ripe fruit is gathered from October to November. The fruit is then dried in the sun or baked again.

Properties and Taste:

Sour and slightly warm

Meridians:

Liver and kidney

Functions:

To tonify the liver and kidneys
To astringe the essence
To stop sweating

Indications and Combinations:

1.     Deficiency of the liver and kidneys manifested as dizziness, blurred vision, soreness in the lower back, weakness of the legs, seminal emissions and impotence.
*Use with Prepared rehmannia root (Shudihuang), Dadder seed (Tusizi), Wolfberry fruit (Gouqizi) and Eucommia bark (Duzhong).

2.      Spontaneous sweating due to weakness of the body.
*Use with Ginseng (Renshen), Prepared aconite root (Fuzi) and Oyster shell (Muli).

Dosage:

5-10 g

Cautions:

This herb is contraindicated in cases with damp-heat or dysuria.