About This Herb*
Traditional Chinese Medicine background and properties
Herb Description*
Mulberry fruit is a gentle, food-grade herb widely used in Chinese medicine to nourish the Blood and Yin of the Liver and Kidneys. It is commonly taken for premature greying of hair, dizziness, insomnia, dry mouth, and constipation caused by internal dryness. Because it is both a food and a medicine, it can be eaten fresh, dried, made into a paste, or added to formulas for long-term use.
Herb Category*
Main Actions*
- Nourishes Yin and Blood
- Generates Fluids
- Moistens the Intestines and Unblocks the Bowels
- Nourishes Liver and Kidney Yin
How These Actions Work*
'Nourishes Yin and tonifies Blood' means Sang Shen replenishes the body's cooling, moistening substances (Yin) and the Blood, particularly in the Liver and Kidneys. In TCM, the Liver stores Blood and the Kidneys store Essence, and both depend on adequate Yin. When Liver and Kidney Yin and Blood become depleted, a person may experience dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, insomnia, and premature greying of the hair. Sang Shen's sweet, cold, and moist nature makes it well suited for gently restoring these depleted substances over time. The classical commentator Miao Xiyong described it as "a cooling, Blood-nourishing, Yin-enriching medicinal."
'Generates Body Fluids' means Sang Shen helps produce and replenish the body's natural moisture. This applies when Body Fluids have been damaged by internal Heat or chronic illness, leading to dry mouth, persistent thirst, or the condition traditionally called "wasting-thirst" (消渴 xiāo kě), which overlaps with what modern medicine calls diabetes. Its sweet and sour flavours are considered especially good at promoting fluid production and quenching thirst.
'Moistens the Intestines and promotes bowel movements' refers to Sang Shen's ability to lubricate the intestinal tract when dryness from Blood or Yin Deficiency causes hard, difficult stools. This is not a harsh laxative effect but rather a gentle moistening action, making it appropriate for elderly patients or those with chronic constipation due to internal dryness rather than excess Heat.
Patterns Addressed*
In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony that reveal what's out of balance in the body. Sang Shen is traditionally associated with these specific patterns.
The following describes this herb's classification within Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and is provided for educational purposes only.
Why Sang Shen addresses this pattern
Sang Shen directly enters the Liver and Kidney channels and has a cold, sweet, moistening nature that replenishes the Yin and Blood of both organs. When Liver and Kidney Yin are depleted, the body loses its cooling and moistening capacity, leading to upward-flaring of deficient Heat. Sang Shen's cold thermal nature counteracts this deficient Heat while its sweet and sour flavours generate fluids and nourish Yin, addressing the root deficiency. Its ability to enrich Kidney Essence also helps with related symptoms such as premature greying and tinnitus.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
From deficient Liver and Kidney Yin failing to nourish the head
Kidney Essence depletion leaving the ears malnourished
Blood and Essence deficiency failing to nourish the hair
Blood deficiency leaving the Heart Spirit unanchored
Liver Blood insufficiency failing to nourish the eyes
Why Sang Shen addresses this pattern
Sang Shen is classified among the Blood-tonifying herbs because its sweet flavour tonifies and its moist quality nourishes depleted Blood. It enters the Heart and Liver channels, the two organs most closely associated with Blood storage and circulation in TCM. By gently replenishing Blood, Sang Shen helps address the pallor, dizziness, palpitations, and poor sleep that characterise Blood Deficiency. Its cold nature also prevents Blood Deficiency from generating secondary deficient Heat.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Light-headedness from insufficient Blood reaching the head
Restless sleep due to Heart Blood failing to anchor the Spirit
Dry stools from Blood failing to moisten the intestines
Why Sang Shen addresses this pattern
When Stomach and Body Fluid Yin are depleted, often from febrile illness or chronic internal Heat, the result is persistent dry mouth, thirst, and a parched digestive tract. Sang Shen's fluid-generating action (its sour flavour astringes and retains fluids while its sweet flavour produces them) directly addresses this dryness. Its cold nature clears residual deficient Heat in the Stomach, helping to restore comfortable digestion and relieve the "wasting-thirst" pattern.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Persistent thirst from depleted Body Fluids
Mouth and throat dryness from Yin and fluid deficiency
TCM Properties*
Cold
Sweet (甘 gān), Sour (酸 suān)
Fruit (果 guǒ / 果实 guǒ shí)
This is partial information on the herb's TCM properties. More detailed information is available on the herb's dedicated page
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.