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    Yemama Apothecary

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    Heart-Nourishing, Hypnotic Sedative & Night Sweat Consolidating Monarch (养心补肝 / 宁心安神敛汗生津 — 历代安神睡眠第一酸枣仁 / 金匮要略酸枣仁汤君药 / 治疗失眠多梦惊悸药王)

    酸枣仁 / 酸枣 / 棘 / 棘仁 / 刺枣 / 山枣 / 樲 — Ziziphus spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H.F.Chow (syn. Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa)

    Pinyin: Suānzǎorén / Suānzǎo / Jírén · Malay: Suan Zao Ren / Biji Bidara Duri / Semen Ziziphi Spinosae / Wild Jujube Seed · Family: Rhamnaceae (鼠李科)

    Botanical Illustration

    Energetics

    Neutral (平 / 甘平 / 养心平性)

    Flavor

    Sweet, sour, bland, oily-aromatic (甘、酸、平)

    Meridians

    Heart (心), Liver (肝), Gallbladder (胆), Spleen (脾)

    Traditional Edict

    Spiny Jujube Kernel / Wild Jujube Seed (Suan Zao Ren / Ji Ren). Flat-ovoid glossy reddish-brown seeds. Supreme Emperor of Classical Sedative Medicine (Suan Zao Ren Tang): extinguishes chronic insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, waking palpitation panic, and consolidates night sweats.

    Cautions & Contraindications

    • Crushing Mandate: Always lightly crush seed kernels before decoction (uncracked seeds fail to extract active saponins). CONTRAINDICATED in severe phlegm-heat fire insomnia.

    Clinical Applications

    • Chronic primary and psychogenic insomnia (shortening sleep latency and increasing Slow-Wave Deep Sleep via Spinosin and Jujuboside A), generalized anxiety disorder, cardiac palpitations, and night sweats (Dao Han).

    Quality Markers

    Spinosin (酸枣仁黄酮苷) >= 0.080% & Jujuboside A >= 0.030% (HPLC Chinese Pharmacopoeia standard)

    Mechanism & Phytochemistry

    1. Spinosin and jujuboside A act as positive allosteric modulators at GABAA and 5-HT1A receptors, suppressing hippocampal excitotoxicity and inducing deep sleep. 2. Astringes sweat glands.

    Preparation & Dosage

    CRITICAL PAOZHI MANDATE: STIR-FRIED CRUSHED SUAN ZAO REN (Chao Suan Zao Ren): Kernels stir-fried until puffed and aromatic, lightly crushed before boiling. CLASSICAL SUAN ZAO REN TANG: 15 to 25 g Chao Suan Zao Ren with Fu Ling (10 g), Zhi Mu (10 g), and Chuan Xiong (6 g).

    Appended Prescriptions

    • 1. Classical Suan Zao Ren Tang (Master Insomnia Formula) with Fu Ling, Zhi Mu, and Chuan Xiong. 2. Heart-Kidney Palpitation Draught with Polygala tenuifolia (Yuan Zhi) and Bai Zi Ren.

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