Sāng Shèn (桑椹), known in English as Mulberry fruit (Morus alba (fruit)), is a cold, sweet and sour Chinese herb from the Tonify yin category. It enters the Heart, Liver and Kidney channels. Its main action: nourishes Yin, tonifies Blood.
| Pinyin | Sāng Shèn (Sang Shen) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 桑椹 |
| English | Mulberry fruit |
| Botanical name | Morus alba (fruit) |
| Category | Tonify yin |
| Nature | Cold |
| Flavour | Sweet, Sour |
| Channels | Heart, Liver, Kidney |
| Dosage | 9–15g |
| Cautions | Spleen and Stomach deficiency Cold with loose stools |
Actions
- Nourishes Yin, tonifies Blood
- Generates fluids, moistens dryness
Indications
- Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency with dizziness, tinnitus, palpitations, insomnia and early greying
- Thirst from fluid damage
- Wasting-thirst
- Constipation from intestinal dryness
How to remember Sāng Shèn
Tonify yin herbs are mostly cool or cold and sweet, and most enter the Kidney and Liver channels.
- You can work these out
- Cold, Sweet: like most Tonify yin herbs
- Liver and Kidney channels: from its use for “Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency with dizziness, tinnitus, palpitations, insomnia and early greying”
- Learn by heart
- Sour: unusual for Tonify yin herbs (most are sweet)
- Heart channel: nothing in its group or its actions points to it
Other Tonify yin herbs
- Mài Dōng
- Nǚ Zhēn Zǐ
- Gǒu Qǐ Zǐ
- Shēng Dì Huáng
- Tiān Dōng
- Yù Zhú
- Shí Hú
- Hàn Lián Cǎo
- Guī Bǎn
- Biē Jiǎ
- Bǎi Hé
- Běi Shā Shēn
- Huáng Jīng
- Hēi Zhī Má
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Sāng Shèn?
Sāng Shèn is cold and sweet and sour.
Which channels does Sāng Shèn enter?
Sāng Shèn enters the Heart, Liver and Kidney channels.
What are the actions of Sāng Shèn?
Nourishes Yin, tonifies Blood; Generates fluids, moistens dryness.
What is Sāng Shèn used for?
Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency with dizziness, tinnitus, palpitations, insomnia and early greying; thirst from fluid damage; wasting-thirst; constipation from intestinal dryness.
Practise Sāng Shèn and the other 290 herbs
Recognise each herb from its picture, recall its nature, flavour, channels and actions, and review it again just before you would forget it.
Try the 5-question herb quizShen Study is a study tool. Doses and cautions are as taught in standard Chinese materia medica texts; they are not prescribing advice.