Jiu Zhi 韭汁 — Chinese Herbal Medicine

Jiu Zhi (韭汁) At a Glance

• Herb: Jiu Zhi
• Chinese name: 韭汁 (Jiu Zhi)
• Latin name: Allii Tuberosi Succus
• Nature: Warm
• Taste: Acrid, Sweet
• Meridian: Large Intestine
• Category: Promotes blood circulation and heals wounds

Jiu Zhi is the freshly expressed juice of Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum), classified within herbs that promote blood circulation and heal wounds. Its warm, penetrating nature allows it to move stagnant blood, calm rebellious stomach qi, and support tissue repair both internally and topically. Used since classical antiquity, it appears frequently in emergency formulas for traumatic injury and esophageal obstruction.

Actions & Therapeutic Effects

• Invigorates blood and dissolves stasis
• Descends rebellious qi and stops vomiting and hiccup
• Warms the middle jiao and opens esophageal obstruction (噎膈)
• Promotes wound healing and reduces swelling
• Detoxifies insect and snake bites when applied topically
• Warms yang and arrests bleeding from cold-type patterns

Clinical Applications in TCM

• For esophageal obstruction (噎膈) and chronic vomiting: combine Jiu Zhi with fresh ginger juice and cow’s milk, taken warm in small sips
• For traumatic bruising and blood stasis pain: apply Jiu Zhi topically to the affected area or combine with San Qi (三七) powder
• For cold-type hiccup and belching: mix Jiu Zhi with a small amount of Jiang Zhi (ginger juice) and administer warm
• For insect or snake bites with local swelling: apply fresh juice directly to the wound surface
• For vomiting of blood (吐血) due to qi stagnation driving blood upward: administer Jiu Zhi cool with a small amount of童便 (human urine) as classical emergency measure
• For post-partum blood stasis abdominal pain: combine with Yi Mu Cao (益母草) decoction

Precautions & Safety

• Dosage: Freshly expressed juice, 30–60 mL per dose; topical use as needed with no fixed quantity
• Contraindicated in patients with yin deficiency with heat signs, as the warm acrid nature will further consume yin fluids
• Avoid in cases of excess heat, active inflammation, or bleeding due to blood heat (xuè rè)
• Use cautiously in patients with digestive weakness; large doses may irritate the gastric mucosa
• Not suitable for long-term internal use without clinical supervision

Classical TCM Formulas

• Jiu Zhi Yin (韭汁饮): fresh chive juice alone — for regurgitation and chest oppression.
• Jiu Zhi Niu Ru Yin (韭汁牛乳饮): chive juice + milk — for dysphagia. Source: Dan Xi Xin Fa.
• Fresh chive juice is an acute remedy — not for long-term use.

Herb Combinations

• Jiu Zhi (韭汁) + Sheng Jiang Zhi (生姜汁): the warming juice pair for Cold-Phlegm obstruction with nausea and chest oppression.
• Jiu Zhi (韭汁) + Niu Ru (牛乳, milk): for regurgitation and dysphagia from Qi and Phlegm obstruction. Source: Dan Xi Xin Fa.
• Jiu Zhi (韭汁) + vinegar: for choking sensation and difficulty swallowing.

Pharmacology & Research

Allyl sulfides (allicin analogues): antimicrobial, antiplatelet aggregation, and mild vasodilatory effects.
Flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol): antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity supporting wound-healing action.
Saponins: contribute to mucosal protective effects and mild expectorant properties.
Vitamins C and E: cofactors for collagen synthesis, reinforcing tissue-repair and hemostatic functions.

Classical Descriptions

• “韭汁，辛温，能散瘀血，治噎膈反胃，解药毒及蛇、犬毒。” — Běn Cǎo Gāng Mù (本草纲目), Lǐ Shí-zhēn, 1578