Shi Liu Pi
English Name: granatum rind, pomegranate rind
Pharmaceutical Name: Pericarpium Granati
Medica Category: Astringent Herbs
Properties: Shi Liu Pi enters the Stomach and Large Intestine channels; it is sour and astringent in nature and warm in temperature.
What is Shi Liu Pi?:
The Chinese Herb Shi Liu Pi is the dried outer rind of ripe pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.). For use as medicine, the peels are left raw/unprocessed if they are to be decocted, stir-baked if they are to be made into powder or pills, and charred if they are to be used to stop bleeding.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Shi Liu Pi:
Shi Liu Pi binds the intestines and stops chronic, watery diarrhea w/rectal prolapse. It can also successfully treat chronic damp-heat diarrhea and dysentery when combined with the proper herbs (such as Huang Lian (coptis) and Huang Bai (phellodendron bark)).
Shi Liu Pi kills intestinal parasites such as tapeworms and roundworms and relieves the pain associated with their presence. Shi Liu Pi also addresses amoebic dysentery (3x/day for 6 days as a single herb in decoction).
Shi Liu Pi stops bleeding. It is used topically in powdered form for bleeding due to trauma; internally, it is used in decoction to treat uterine bleeding and leukorrhea.
–safety/clinical notes:
Contraindicated in the beginning stages of acute diarrhea or dysentery.
Avoid ingestion of fats and oils when taking Shi Liu Pi for the purpose of killing parasites as they will interfere with the absorption of the herb.