Rui Ren
English Name: prinsepia seed, hedge prinsepia nut
Pharmaceutical Name: Semen Prinsepiae
Medica Category: Heat-Clearing and Fire-Purging Herbs
Properties: Rui Ren enters the Liver channel; it is sweet in nature and cool in temperature.
What is Rui Ren?:
The hedge prinsepia (Prinsepia uniflora) is a sharp-spined shrub of moderate size (6’ x 6’) native to mountain valleys in northwest China. It is one of the first shrubs to leaf out in spring and among the last to drop their leaves in the fall. Small, fragrant, white flowers are borne along the stems through the spring and are followed by edible, cherry-like fruits. The Chinese Herb Rui Ren is the dried seeds of these fruits.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Rui Ren:
Rui Ren enters the Liver channel to disperse wind and clear heat to treat acute inflammation in the eyes (e.g. conjunctivitis and keratitis). Note that Rui Ren is indicated only for clinical presentations marked by excess—deficiency presentations (such as dimness and blurred vision) are not appropriately addressed by this herb.