Common name: Xia Ku Cao, Common selfheal fruit-spike.

What is Xia Ku Cao?

• Xia Ku Cao is the spike or whole plant of the perennial herb, Prunella vulgaris L. (Family Labiaceae).
• Mainly found in the Chinese provinces such as Jiangsu, Anhui and Henan, the fruit turns brownish-red in the summer and is left to dry in the sun once all foreign matter is removed.
• Baculiform (rod-shaped), slightly flattened; 1.5-8 cm long, 0.8-1. 5 cm in diameter; pale brown to brownish-red.
• A whole spike contains several to more than 10 whorls of persistent calyx and bracts; each whorl with 2 opposite (borne in pairs at each node) bracts; each bract flabellate (fan-shaped), apex the shape of a pointed tail, veins prominent, outer surface covered with white hairs.
• 3 flowers in each bract; corolla mostly fallen off; persistent calyx bilabiate (two-lipped), with 4 small nutlets inside; nutlets ovoid (egg-shaped), brown, with a white protuberance at apex. Light in weight. Odour: faint; taste: mild.

What are the health benefits?

• For treating intense fire in the liver channel, liver fire, conjunctival congestion, dizziness and headache, it is used in combination with the drugs for clearing liver-fire, and improves vision, such as Cape jasmine fruit and chrysanthemum flower.
• For treating deficiency of liver-yin, blurred vision, it is used together with goji berry and cassia seed to nourish liver and improve vision.
• Clear and purge liver fire, relieve toxicity and dissipate nodulation;
• Lower blood pressure and blood sugar level;
• Help women who have distress during menstruation, bloating or indigestion, urinary problems, or heavy bleeding during menstruation causing anemia;

How do I select Spica Prunellae?

• Big ear in brownish red, making noise when being shaken, light and soft, not easy to be broken.

Additional Information

• Xia Ku Cao is cold in thermal nature so it should be used with caution by those with Spleen and Stomach deficiencies.

Recipes Recommend：

Xia Ku Cao with pork soup

Method:

• Xia Ku Cao and some pork (could add red dates, etc.);
• Soak the Xia Ku Cao into water for a while, then put everything into the pot with water and simmer for around 3 hours when the meat is chewable.

Xia Ku Cao with black bean

Method:

• Xia Ku Cao, black bean and some rock sugar.
• Put everything into the pot with water about 2 hours, which benefits the kidney, relieve toxicity and dissipate nodulation.

Xia Ku Cao with Chicken feet

Method:

• Xia Ku Cao could be added into regular cooking of chicken feet, however, this way could reduce the bitterness of the Xia Ku Cao without reducing the medical effects.