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    Yemama Apothecary

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    Heat-Clearing, Blood-Cooling & Suppurative Mastitis-Dispersing (清热解毒 / 凉血止血消痈排脓利湿通淋药)

    刺苋 / 野苋菜 / 刺苋菜 / 假苋菜 — Amaranthus spinosus L.

    Pinyin: Cìxiàn / Yěxiàncài · Malay: Bayam Duri / Bayam Hutan / Bayam Berduri · Family: Amaranthaceae (苋科)

    Botanical Illustration

    Energetics

    Cool to Cold (微寒 / 凉)

    Flavor

    Sweet, bland, slightly bitter (甘、淡、微苦)

    Meridians

    Liver (肝), Large Intestine (大肠), Stomach (胃), Urinary Bladder (膀胱)

    Traditional Edict

    Spiny wild amaranth armed with sharp nodal spines. Clears toxic heat, cools blood to stop bleeding, draws pus and resolves acute suppurative mastitis (Ru Yong / 乳痈), clears burning cystitis, and heals boils.

    Cautions & Contraindications

    • Armed with sharp nodal spines; handle with gloves. Contraindicated in Spleen-Stomach deficiency cold watery diarrhea. High safety in nursing mothers.

    Clinical Applications

    • Acute suppurative mastitis, maternal breast engorgement, bleeding internal hemorrhoids, acute bacillary dysentery, acute cystitis strangury, and venomous snakebites.

    Quality Markers

    Rutin >= 0.50%, Betalains (Amaranthine), a-Spinasterol & Gallic Acid (HPLC MHM standard)

    Mechanism & Phytochemistry

    1. Rutin and amaranthine betalains downregulate NF-kB and COX-2, reducing localized breast induration in acute mastitis. 2. Broad-spectrum bactericidal action against S. aureus and Shigella. 3. Potassium-rich diuretic cystitis flush.

    Preparation & Dosage

    THE SOVEREIGN MASTITIS DISPERSING POULTICE: 50 g fresh whole herb (with roots) pounded with a pinch of salt and brown sugar, applied directly over swollen breast indurations. Dried herb decoction: 15-30 g daily.

    Appended Prescriptions

    • 1. The Sovereign Mastitis & Breast-Abscess Clearing Synergy with Taraxacum mongolicum (Pu Gong Ying) and Lonicera japonica. 2. Hemorrhoidal Bleeding Decoction with Sophora japonica.

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    Yemama Apothecary · Petaling Jaya, Malaysia · For educational and clinical reference only