Herb Other

San Cha Ku

Evodia lepta root and leaf · 三叉苦

Melicope pteleifolia (Champ. ex Benth.) T.G. Hartley · Radix et Folium Evodiae Leptae

Also known as: 三丫苦 (Sān Yā Kǔ), 三桠苦 (Sān Yā Kǔ), 三叉虎 (Sān Chā Hǔ),

San Cha Ku is a bitter, cooling herb widely used in southern Chinese folk medicine and modern Chinese patent medicines. It is best known as a key ingredient in two popular over-the-counter products: San Jiu Wei Tai for stomach inflammation, and Gan Mao Ling for colds and flu. It clears internal Heat, fights infection, relieves joint pain, and soothes itchy skin conditions like eczema when used as a topical wash.

Category Herbs that clear Heat and dry Dampness (清热燥湿药)
Therapeutic focus Cold and Flu Relief Digestive Health Skin Health Joint and Muscle Pain Relief

TCM Properties

Temperature

Cold

Taste

Bitter (苦 kǔ)

Channels entered

Liver, Lungs, Stomach

Parts used

Other

Educational content • Consult qualified TCM practitioners for diagnosis and treatment

What This Herb Does

Every herb has a specific set of actions — here's what San Cha Ku does in the body, explained in both everyday and TCM terms

Therapeutic focus

In practical terms, San Cha Ku is primarily used to support these areas of health:

Cold and Flu Relief Digestive Health Skin Health Joint and Muscle Pain Relief

TCM Actions

In TCM terminology, these are the specific therapeutic actions that San Cha Ku performs to restore balance in the body:

Clears Heat and Resolves Toxicity Dispels Wind-Dampness Reduces Swelling and Alleviates Pain Dries Dampness and Stops Itching Moves Qi and Alleviates Pain

How these actions work

'Clears Heat and resolves Toxins' means this herb reduces inflammation and fights infection. In TCM terms, 'Heat Toxin' refers to intense inflammatory or infectious processes that produce redness, swelling, pain, and fever. San Cha Ku's cold nature directly counteracts this Heat, which is why it is used for conditions like sore throat, abscesses, high fever, and even snake bites. Modern research has confirmed its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

'Dispels Wind-Dampness' means it helps remove the pathogenic factors that cause joint and muscle pain. In TCM, when Wind and Dampness invade the body's channels, they obstruct the flow of Qi and Blood, causing stiffness, aching, and swelling in the joints and muscles. San Cha Ku is used for conditions like rheumatic joint pain and sciatica, particularly when accompanied by Heat signs such as redness and warmth.

'Dries Dampness and stops itching' refers to the herb's ability to address skin conditions caused by internal or external Dampness. Dampness in TCM causes weeping, oozing, or swollen lesions. San Cha Ku's bitter taste has a natural drying effect that counteracts this Dampness. Used both internally and as an external wash, it is a key remedy in southern China for eczema, dermatitis, and other itchy skin eruptions.

'Reduces swelling and relieves pain' describes its use for traumatic injuries, boils, and toxic swellings. Fresh leaves are commonly crushed and applied as a poultice directly to sprains, bruises, and infected wounds to reduce local swelling and ease pain.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony. San Cha Ku is used to help correct these specific patterns.

Why San Cha Ku addresses this pattern

San Cha Ku is bitter and cold, which directly opposes the Heat pathogen in Wind-Heat patterns. Its bitter flavour descends and drains, while its cold nature clears Heat from the body's surface and interior. It enters the Lung channel, which governs the body's exterior defence, making it well-suited for expelling Wind-Heat that has invaded the Lung's domain. Its heat-clearing and toxin-resolving actions address the inflammation and infection that characterize this pattern.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Fever

High fever that does not resolve

Sore Throat

Swollen, painful throat

Hypochondrial Pain That Is Worse On Coughing And Breathing

Cough with yellow phlegm

Headaches

Commonly Used For

These are conditions where San Cha Ku is frequently used — but only when they arise from the specific patterns it addresses, not in all cases

Arises from: Wind-Heat

TCM Interpretation

In TCM, the common cold is understood as an invasion of external pathogenic factors (Wind-Heat or Wind-Cold) that overwhelm the body's surface defence (Wei Qi). The Wind-Heat type presents with fever, sore throat, yellow nasal discharge, and thirst. The Lungs, which govern the body's exterior, are the primary organ affected. When Wind-Heat lodges in the Lung system, it disrupts the Lung's descending and dispersing functions, causing cough, nasal congestion, and throat pain.

Why San Cha Ku Helps

San Cha Ku's bitter, cold nature directly clears the Heat component of a Wind-Heat invasion. It enters the Lung channel, targeting the organ most affected by external pathogens. Its heat-clearing and toxin-resolving actions reduce the inflammation in the throat and upper respiratory tract. This is why it appears as a key ingredient in widely used cold remedies like Gan Mao Ling (感冒灵颗粒), where it works alongside other Wind-Heat-clearing herbs such as wild chrysanthemum and honeysuckle.

Also commonly used for

Influenza

Used in prevention and treatment of seasonal influenza

Sore Throat

Pharyngitis and tonsillitis

Jaundice

Jaundice-type hepatitis

Keratitis

Inflammatory skin conditions with itching

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Joint pain with Heat signs

Malaria

Traditional use for alternating chills and fever

Trauma

Bruises, sprains, and swelling from injury

Herb Properties

Every herb has an inherent temperature, taste, and affinity for specific channels — these properties determine how it interacts with the body

Temperature

Cold

Taste

Bitter (苦 kǔ)

Channels Entered

Liver Lungs Stomach

Parts Used

Other

Dosage & Preparation

These are general dosage guidelines for San Cha Ku — always follow your practitioner's recommendation, as dosages vary based on the formula and your individual condition

Standard dosage

Root: 15-50g; Leaves: 15-25g (decoction)

Maximum dosage

Root: up to 50g in decoction for acute conditions, under practitioner supervision. Leaves: up to 25g internally. External use: appropriate amounts as needed.

Dosage notes

The root and leaf portions have different standard dosage ranges. The root (15-50g) is the stronger medicinal part for internal use, used for conditions like high fever, sore throat, and rheumatic pain. The leaves (15-25g) are more commonly used for clearing surface heat and are also the part used externally. For external application, fresh leaves can be crushed and applied as a poultice, or a decoction of dried leaves can be used to wash affected areas for eczema, dermatitis, itching, and hemorrhoids. One source notes a common dosage of 10-15g for general internal use. For epidemic prevention (historically used against meningitis and encephalitis outbreaks), much larger quantities were decocted in community-scale preparations.

Preparation

No special decoction handling is required. The root should be sliced before drying and can be decocted normally. The leaves are shade-dried and decocted normally. For external use, fresh leaves can be crushed directly for poultice application, or dried material can be ground into powder and mixed into an ointment base.

Common Herb Pairs

These ingredients are traditionally combined with San Cha Ku for enhanced therapeutic effect

Ji
Jiu Li Xiang 1:1

San Cha Ku clears Heat and resolves toxins while Jiu Li Xiang (九里香) moves Qi and invigorates Blood. Together they address Damp-Heat with concurrent Qi stagnation and Blood stasis, particularly in the Stomach. This is the foundational herb pair in the San Jiu Wei Tai formula.

When to use: Chronic gastritis with epigastric pain, bloating, acid reflux, and nausea due to Damp-Heat combined with Qi-Blood stagnation in the middle burner.

Ye Ju Hua
Ye Ju Hua 1:1

Both herbs clear Heat and resolve Toxins, but San Cha Ku focuses more on drying Dampness and relieving pain while Ye Ju Hua (wild chrysanthemum) excels at dispersing Wind-Heat and clearing the head and eyes. Together they provide a stronger combined assault on Wind-Heat pathogens affecting the upper body.

When to use: Wind-Heat common cold and influenza with fever, headache, sore throat, and nasal congestion. This pair forms the core of Gan Mao Ling granules.

Jin Yin Hua
Jin Yin Hua 1:1

Both are powerful Heat-clearing and Toxin-resolving herbs. Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle) is sweet and cold, clearing Heat without excessively drying, which balances San Cha Ku's strongly bitter and drying nature. Together they provide broad-spectrum toxin-clearing action.

When to use: Severe Heat-Toxin patterns including high fever, throat abscesses, skin infections, and prevention of epidemic febrile diseases.

Key Formulas

These well-known formulas feature San Cha Ku in a prominent role

Gan Mao Ling 感冒靈 King

Gan Mao Ling (感冒灵颗粒) is one of China's most widely used cold and flu remedies. San Cha Ku serves as a primary herb, showcasing its Wind-Heat clearing and toxin-resolving actions. It addresses the fever, sore throat, and inflammation that characterize Wind-Heat type colds.

Comparable Ingredients

These ingredients have overlapping uses — here's how to tell them apart

Huang Qin
San Cha Ku vs Huang Qin

Both are bitter, cold herbs that clear Heat and dry Dampness. However, Huang Qin (Scutellaria) is more focused on the Lung and upper burner Heat, clearing Lung-Heat and stopping cough, while San Cha Ku has broader action on Wind-Dampness in the channels and is more commonly used topically for skin conditions and traumatic injuries. Huang Qin is a standard Materia Medica herb with extensive classical documentation, while San Cha Ku is a regional Lingnan folk medicine herb.

Ku Shen
San Cha Ku vs Ku Shen

Both are bitter, cold herbs used for Damp-Heat skin conditions including eczema and dermatitis, and both can be applied as an external wash. However, Ku Shen (Sophora flavescens) also clears Heat and promotes urination to drain Dampness downward, and is more established for treating leukorrhea, urinary dysfunction, and intestinal parasites. San Cha Ku has stronger Wind-Dampness dispelling action for joint pain and is more commonly used for colds and febrile diseases.

Common Substitutes & Adulterants

Related species and common adulterations to be aware of when sourcing San Cha Ku

San Cha Ku may be confused with other trifoliate-leaved plants in the Rutaceae family. Because it is primarily a southern Chinese folk herb rather than a widely traded commodity, adulteration is less common than with major materia medica items. However, the herb goes by many regional names (San Ya Ku, San Cha Hu, San Zhi Qiang, etc.), and different plant parts (root vs. leaves vs. stem) have somewhat different potencies and indications. Ensure the correct species Melicope pteleifolia (syn. Evodia lepta) is obtained, as the genus Evodia/Melicope contains many species. It should not be confused with Wu Zhu Yu (Tetradium ruticarpum, formerly Evodia rutaecarpa), which is a completely different herb with warm, not cold, properties.

Educational content — always consult a qualified healthcare provider or TCM practitioner before using any herb.

Toxicity Classification

Classical Chinese pharmacopoeia toxicity rating for San Cha Ku

Non-toxic

San Cha Ku is generally classified as non-toxic. The Guangxi Chinese Herbal Records specifically notes it as having no toxicity, while the Yunnan Chinese Herb Selection mentions slight toxicity. Acute toxicity testing in mice using the water extract at 168g/kg by oral gavage showed no obvious acute toxicity, suggesting a wide safety margin. However, the bitter, cold nature of the herb means that excessive or prolonged use can injure the Spleen and Stomach, causing digestive upset, loose stools, or loss of appetite. Its main chemical constituents include alkaloids (such as evolitrine, dictamnine, and skimmianine), flavonoids, chromenes, coumarins, and volatile oils. At standard therapeutic doses and with appropriate clinical indications, the herb is considered safe for short to medium-term use.

Contraindications

Situations where San Cha Ku should not be used or requires extra caution

Caution

Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold (脾胃虚寒). San Cha Ku is bitter and cold in nature, and can easily damage Spleen and Stomach Yang Qi. People with poor digestion, loose stools, or cold abdominal pain should avoid this herb.

Caution

Pregnancy. The herb's cold nature and blood-moving properties warrant caution. Use only under professional guidance during pregnancy.

Caution

Prolonged or excessive use. The intensely bitter, cold nature can injure the Stomach and deplete Spleen Qi if taken in large doses or over extended periods.

Caution

Cold-type conditions without heat signs. Because this herb strongly clears heat, it is inappropriate for conditions driven purely by cold or deficiency without any heat pathogen.

Special Populations

Important considerations for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pediatric use

Pregnancy

Use with caution during pregnancy. San Cha Ku's intensely bitter and cold nature may potentially damage Spleen and Stomach Qi, which is critical for nourishing the fetus. No specific teratogenicity data are available. Pregnant women should only use this herb under the guidance of a qualified practitioner, and generally only when there is a clear heat-toxin condition requiring treatment.

Breastfeeding

No specific safety data exist for San Cha Ku during breastfeeding. Given its bitter, cold nature, there is a theoretical concern that it could affect the quality or production of breast milk through its cooling action on the digestive system. If needed for a clear heat-toxin condition, use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration under practitioner supervision.

Children

San Cha Ku may be used in children for short-term treatment of acute heat conditions (fever, sore throat, skin rashes) at reduced doses proportional to age and body weight, typically one-third to one-half of the adult dose. However, due to its intensely bitter taste and cold nature, it should be used cautiously in young children to avoid damaging the Spleen and Stomach. External use (decoction wash) for eczema or dermatitis is generally considered safer for children than internal use.

Drug Interactions

If you are taking pharmaceutical medications, be aware of these potential interactions with San Cha Ku

No well-documented pharmaceutical drug interactions have been established for San Cha Ku in peer-reviewed literature. However, based on its pharmacological profile, the following theoretical considerations apply:

  • Antipyretic/anti-inflammatory medications: The herb has demonstrated analgesic and antipyretic activity in animal studies. Concurrent use with NSAIDs or acetaminophen could theoretically have additive effects.
  • Hepatically metabolized drugs: As a member of the Rutaceae family rich in alkaloids and coumarins, there is a theoretical possibility of interactions with drugs metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes. No specific CYP interaction studies have been published for this herb.
  • Immunosuppressants: The herb's immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory properties suggest caution when combined with immunosuppressive medications.

Patients taking regular pharmaceutical medications should consult their healthcare provider before using San Cha Ku.

Dietary Advice

Foods and dietary considerations when taking San Cha Ku

When taking San Cha Ku internally, avoid excessively cold or raw foods, as the herb's cold nature combined with cold foods may overly burden the digestive system. Warm, easily digestible foods are preferable to protect the Spleen and Stomach during treatment. Avoid greasy, rich foods that may generate dampness-heat internally and counteract the herb's therapeutic effect.

Botanical Description

Physical characteristics and morphology of the San Cha Ku source plant

San Cha Ku (Melicope pteleifolia, syn. Evodia lepta) is a small to medium-sized tree in the Rutaceae (citrus) family that can grow up to 8 metres tall under favorable conditions, though some specimens in ideal environments reach 20 metres. The bark is greyish-white to greyish-green, smooth with shallow longitudinal fissures. The branches and foliage are hairless and aromatic when crushed.

The leaves are characteristically trifoliate (three leaflets arranged in a fork shape, hence the name "San Cha" meaning "three forks"). The individual leaflets are oblong-elliptic, 6 to 20 cm long and 2 to 8 cm wide, with entire margins and numerous translucent oil glands (visible when held to light). Flowers appear in axillary clusters from April to June, small and pale yellow or white, with four petals dotted with transparent oil glands. The fruit ripens from July to October as follicles that are pale yellow to brownish, also covered with visible oil glands, each containing a single glossy blue-black seed 3 to 4 mm long.

The plant grows naturally in hilly terrain, sparse forests, and moist valley margins at elevations of 500 to 1800 metres across southern China and Southeast Asia.

Sourcing & Harvesting

Where San Cha Ku is sourced, when it's harvested or collected, and how to assess quality

Harvesting season

Branches and leaves can be harvested year-round but are best collected in summer and autumn. Roots are typically harvested in autumn.

Primary growing regions

Primarily distributed across southern China, with the best-known medicinal material coming from Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. Also found in Hainan, Fujian, Taiwan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Jiangxi, and parts of Sichuan and Chongqing. Outside China, it grows in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. Guangdong province is particularly notable as a source region, where it is a key ingredient in traditional Cantonese herbal cooling teas (liang cha). Guangxi is another major producing region, with specimens collected from areas such as Jingxi county.

Quality indicators

For the branch and leaf form: good quality material has tender green branches with intact, green leaves that are not excessively brown or crumbled. The leaves should show visible translucent oil glands when held to light, and should release a characteristic aromatic, bitter smell when crushed. For the root form: the root should be cylindrical, with a greyish-brown to greyish-green external surface showing fine longitudinal wrinkles. The texture should be hard and brittle, snapping cleanly. The cross-section should be pale. The taste should be distinctly and intensely bitter. Avoid material that is moldy, insect-damaged, or has lost its aromatic quality.

Classical Texts

Key passages from the classical Chinese medical texts that describe San Cha Ku and its therapeutic uses

《岭南采药录》(Records of Picking Herbs in Lingnan):
Original: 清热毒。治跌打发热作痛。
Translation: "Clears heat-toxin. Treats traumatic injuries with fever and pain."

《南宁市药物志》(Nanning Municipal Herbal Records):
Original: 清热解毒，舒筋活络，祛风湿，止痒。治跌打损伤，疮疡，疟疾。
Translation: "Clears heat and resolves toxin, relaxes sinews and frees the collaterals, dispels wind-dampness, stops itching. Treats traumatic injuries, sores and abscesses, and malaria."

《广西中药志》(Guangxi Chinese Herbal Records):
Original: 治风湿骨痛，感触痧气。
Translation: "Treats wind-damp bone pain and externally contracted pestilential Qi."

广州部队《常用中草药手册》(Guangzhou Military Region, Handbook of Common Chinese Herbs):
Original: 清热解毒，燥湿止痒。防治流感，流脑，乙型脑炎；治疗扁桃体炎，咽喉炎，黄疸型肝炎，虫蛇咬伤，疖肿，湿疹，皮炎，痔疮。
Translation: "Clears heat and resolves toxin, dries dampness and stops itching. Prevents and treats influenza, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, and Japanese encephalitis. Treats tonsillitis, pharyngitis, icteric hepatitis, insect and snake bites, boils, eczema, dermatitis, and hemorrhoids."

Historical Context

The history and evolution of San Cha Ku's use in Chinese medicine over the centuries

San Cha Ku (三叉苦) was first recorded as a medicinal herb in the Ling Nan Cai Yao Lu (《岭南采药录》, Records of Picking Herbs in Lingnan), a text documenting the folk herbal medicine of the Lingnan region (southern Guangdong and surrounding areas). It has never been part of the classical "northern" materia medica tradition and is instead a quintessential southern Chinese folk remedy, deeply embedded in the herbal medicine traditions of the Cantonese, Zhuang, Yao, Dai, Yi, and Jinuo peoples, each of whom have their own names for it.

The herb's name is straightforwardly descriptive: "San Cha" (三叉, three forks) refers to its distinctive trifoliate leaves, while "Ku" (苦, bitter) describes its intensely bitter taste. It has accumulated a remarkable number of regional aliases, including San Ya Ku (三丫苦), San Cha Hu (三叉虎, "three-forked tiger"), San Zhi Qiang (三支枪, "three guns"), Bai Yun Xiang (白芸香, "white rue"), Die Da Wang (跌打王, "king of trauma treatment"), and Xiao Huang San (小黄散, "little yellow powder").

In modern times, San Cha Ku has become an important raw material in the Chinese pharmaceutical industry. It is a key ingredient in over 30 proprietary Chinese medicine formulations, including well-known products such as Ganmaoling (感冒灵, a cold remedy), Sanjiu Weitai Granules (三九胃泰颗粒, for gastric complaints), Sanjin Tablets (三金片, for urinary tract conditions), and Xiaojie'an Capsules (消结安胶囊). It is also a principal component of the traditional Cantonese "24-herb tea" (二十四味), one of the iconic cooling teas of southern China.

Modern Research

5 published studies investigating the pharmacological effects or clinical outcomes of San Cha Ku

1

Comprehensive review of phytochemistry, pharmacology, and applications of Melicope pteleifolia (2020)

Yao Q, Gao Y, Lai C, Wu C, Zhao CL, Wu JL, Tang DX. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2020, 251:112546.

A broad review covering the traditional uses, chemical constituents, and pharmacological activities of San Cha Ku. The review confirmed anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, antiviral, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant properties supported by preclinical studies, and catalogued the major bioactive compound classes including alkaloids, chromenes, flavonoids, and coumarins.

PubMed
2

Chemical constituents from Melicope pteleifolia leaves with neuraminidase inhibitory activity (2016)

Nguyen NH, Ha TKQ, Choi S, et al. Phytochemistry, 2016, 130:291-300.

Isolated 24 compounds from San Cha Ku leaves including novel spiroketal-bearing acetophenones. Several flavonoid glycosides showed neuraminidase inhibitory activity against influenza viruses H1N1 and H9N2, including oseltamivir-resistant strains, providing a pharmacological basis for its traditional use against febrile epidemic diseases.

3

Antiviral cyclopeptide alkaloids from Melicope pteleifolia against influenza A virus (2021)

Published in Journal of Natural Products (exact author details in PubMed entry).

Discovered five unprecedented cyclopeptides from San Cha Ku leaves that showed strong protective effects against influenza A viruses (H1N1 and H9N2) in cell-based assays. This supports the herb's traditional use for preventing and treating epidemic febrile illnesses like influenza.

PubMed
4

3,5-Di-C-β-D-glucopyranosyl phloroacetophenone suppresses fibroblast activation and alleviates arthritis in a mouse model (2018)

Kim HJ, Choi JH, Hwang J, et al. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2018, 42(5):2763-2775.

A major compound isolated from San Cha Ku was shown to suppress fibroblast activation and alleviate arthritis in a mouse model, providing evidence for the herb's traditional use in treating rheumatic joint pain and inflammatory arthralgia.

5

Constituents of the edible leaves of Melicope pteleifolia with potential analgesic activity (2019)

Published study identified via PubMed.

Identified the major constituent 3,5-di-C-β-D-glucopyranosyl phloroacetophenone as responsible for the antipyretic activity of San Cha Ku based on in vivo experiments, confirming the herb's traditional use for reducing fever.

PubMed

Research on individual TCM herbs is growing but still limited by Western clinical trial standards. These studies provide emerging evidence and should be considered alongside practitioner expertise.