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    Yemama Apothecary

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    Blood-Breaking, Stasis-Dispelling & Mass-Eliminating Sovereign (破血行气 / 消积止痛软坚散结逐瘀破积药)

    莪术 / 蓝心姜 / 蓝心莪术 / 绿心姜 / 黑心姜 — Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb. (syn. Curcuma caesia auct.)

    Pinyin: Ézhú / Lánxīnjiāng · Malay: Temu Hitam / Temu Erang / Temu Ireng · Family: Zingiberaceae (姜科)

    Botanical Illustration

    Energetics

    Warm (微温 / 温)

    Flavor

    Bitter, pungent, camphoraceous-aromatic (苦、辛、大香)

    Meridians

    Liver (肝), Spleen (脾)

    Traditional Edict

    Blue-Heart Ginger (Temu Hitam / Ezhu). Diagnostic incandescent aeruginous-indigo blue core ring. Sovereign monarch drug for breaking stagnant blood, melting uterine fibroids, dissolving ovarian cysts, and purging worms.

    Cautions & Contraindications

    • Aggressive blood-breaking monarch drug. STRICTLY CONTRAINDICATED IN PREGNANCY (potent abortifacient and emmenagogue). Contraindicated during profuse menorrhagia and bleeding peptic ulcers.

    Clinical Applications

    • Uterine leiomyoma (fibroid volume shrinkage), adenomyosis, ovarian endometrioma (chocolate cysts), cervical cancer adjuvant, NASH, and pediatric roundworm infection.

    Quality Markers

    Curdione (莪术二酮) >= 0.80%, Curzerenone >= 1.50% & Aerugidiol (HPLC/GC-MS MHM standard)

    Mechanism & Phytochemistry

    1. Curdione and curzerenone downregulate Bcl-2 and VEGFR2 angiogenesis, starving fibroid microvascular networks and triggering Caspase-3/9 apoptosis in leiomyoma cells. 2. Aerugidiol blocks TGF-b1/Smad3 pelvic adhesions. 3. Ascaris worm paralysis.

    Preparation & Dosage

    CRITICAL PAOZHI: VINEGAR-PROCESSED EZHU (Cu Zhi Ezhu / 醋炙莪术): Sliced dried rhizomes moistened with rice vinegar, stir-fried until parched: 6-12 g daily (guides active curdione to Liver channel). Raw decoction: 3-9 g.

    Appended Prescriptions

    • 1. The Sovereign Uterine Fibroid & Pelvic Mass Shrinking Formula (Ezhu San Leng Synergy) with Sparganium and Dan Shen. 2. Pediatric Food-Accumulation Jamu with Areca catechu (Bing Lang).

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