Suān Zǎo Rén (酸枣仁), known in English as Sour jujube seed (Ziziphus spinosa), is a neutral, sweet and sour Chinese herb from the Calm shen category. It enters the Heart, Liver and Gallbladder channels. Its main action: nourishes Heart and Liver Blood, calms Shen.
| Pinyin | Suān Zǎo Rén (Suan Zao Ren) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 酸枣仁 |
| English | Sour jujube seed |
| Botanical name | Ziziphus spinosa |
| Category | Calm shen |
| Nature | Neutral |
| Flavour | Sweet, Sour |
| Channels | Heart, Liver, Gallbladder |
| Dosage | 9–18g |
| Cautions | Heat patterns with excess Fire; diarrhoea |
Actions
- Nourishes Heart and Liver Blood, calms Shen
- Stops sweating from deficiency
Indications
- Heart and Liver Blood deficiency: insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, excessive dreaming
- Night sweats from deficiency
How to remember Suān Zǎo Rén
Calm shen herbs are mostly sweet, and most enter the Heart, Liver and Kidney channels.
- You can work these out
- Sweet: like most Calm shen herbs
- Heart and Liver channels: from its action “Nourishes Heart and Liver Blood”
- Learn by heart
- Neutral: Calm shen herbs vary in nature
- Sour: unusual for Calm shen herbs (most are sweet)
- Gallbladder channel: nothing in its group or its actions points to it
Formulas containing Suān Zǎo Rén
Other Calm shen herbs
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Suān Zǎo Rén?
Suān Zǎo Rén is neutral and sweet and sour.
Which channels does Suān Zǎo Rén enter?
Suān Zǎo Rén enters the Heart, Liver and Gallbladder channels.
What are the actions of Suān Zǎo Rén?
Nourishes Heart and Liver Blood, calms Shen; Stops sweating from deficiency.
What is Suān Zǎo Rén used for?
Heart and Liver Blood deficiency: insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, excessive dreaming; night sweats from deficiency.
Which formulas contain Suān Zǎo Rén?
Guī Pí Tāng, Tiān Wáng Bǔ Xīn Dān, Suān Zǎo Rén Tāng and Yǎng Xīn Tāng.
Practise Suān Zǎo Rén 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.