Wú Zhū Yú (吴茱萸), known in English as Evodia fruit (Evodia rutaecarpa), is a hot, acrid and bitter Chinese herb from the Warm interior category. It enters the Liver, Stomach, Spleen and Kidney channels. Its main action: warms Liver and Stomach, disperses Cold, relieves pain.
| Pinyin | Wú Zhū Yú (Wu Zhu Yu) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 吴茱萸 |
| English | Evodia fruit |
| Botanical name | Evodia rutaecarpa |
| Category | Warm interior |
| Nature | Hot |
| Flavour | Acrid, Bitter |
| Channels | Liver, Stomach, Spleen, Kidney |
| Dosage | 1.5–4.5g |
| Cautions | Yin deficiency with Heat; pregnancy; use in small doses |
Actions
- Warms Liver and Stomach, disperses Cold, relieves pain
- Descends rebellious qi, stops vomiting
- Warms Spleen, stops diarrhoea
Indications
- Liver Cold vertex headache
- Epigastric pain with vomiting
- Liver-Stomach disharmony
- Spleen-Kidney deficiency diarrhoea
How to remember Wú Zhū Yú
Warm interior herbs are mostly warm or hot and acrid, and most enter the Stomach, Spleen and Kidney channels.
- You can work these out
- Hot, Acrid: like most Warm interior herbs
- Liver and Stomach channels: from its action “Warms Liver and Stomach”
- Spleen channel: from its action “Warms Spleen”
- Kidney channel: from its use for “Spleen-Kidney deficiency diarrhoea”
- Learn by heart
- Bitter: unusual for Warm interior herbs (most are acrid)
Formulas containing Wú Zhū Yú
Other Warm interior herbs
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Wú Zhū Yú?
Wú Zhū Yú is hot and acrid and bitter.
Which channels does Wú Zhū Yú enter?
Wú Zhū Yú enters the Liver, Stomach, Spleen and Kidney channels.
What are the actions of Wú Zhū Yú?
Warms Liver and Stomach, disperses Cold, relieves pain; Descends rebellious qi, stops vomiting; Warms Spleen, stops diarrhoea.
What is Wú Zhū Yú used for?
Liver Cold vertex headache; epigastric pain with vomiting; Liver-Stomach disharmony; Spleen-Kidney deficiency diarrhoea.
Which formulas contain Wú Zhū Yú?
Wēn Jīng Tāng.
Practise Wú Zhū Yú 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.