Purslane Herb – 1 lb (454 g)

Purslane Herb, known in Chinese as 马齿苋 (Mǎchǐxiàn) and scientifically as Herba Portulacae, is a valued herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This TCM herb has been traditionally used to support natural wellness, maintain vitality, and encourage holistic balance. At TCMforyou.com, we provide premium-quality Purslane Herb carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Purslane Herb helps promote overall well-being and supports natural energy, immunity, and balance. Integrating this herb into your wellness routine offers a gentle, time-tested approach to enhancing daily health. Whether brewed as tea, added to herbal remedies, or taken as part of a TCM formula, Purslane Herb provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Purslane Herb has been used in TCM to harmonize the body and encourage optimal functioning of key systems. At TCMforyou, we prioritize authenticity and quality. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and potency, delivering an herbal product aligned with traditional practices.

Experience the natural support of Purslane Herb, promoting immune health, vitality, and holistic well-being. Embrace the wisdom of TCM and incorporate this gentle, effective herbal remedy into your daily wellness journey.

[Overview] This herb is also known as Purslane, Common Purslane, or Longevity Herb. It is the aerial part of Portulaca oleracea L., a plant of the Portulacaceae family. It is distributed throughout China. Harvested in summer and autumn, the herb is cleaned by removing fibrous roots and impurities, washed, briefly steamed or blanched, then sun-dried.

[Properties] It has a sour taste and cold nature. It enters the Large Intestine and Liver meridians.

[Actions] Clears heat and detoxifies, cools the blood and stops bleeding.

[Applications]
1. Used for heat toxin dysentery with urgency and tenesmus. It can be taken alone as a decoction or retained enema, or fresh juice can be drunk. Combined with Scutellaria baicalensis (Huang Qin), Coptis chinensis (Huang Lian), and Plantago asiatica seeds (Che Qian Zi), the effect is enhanced. For pure bloody dysentery, it is combined with Pulsatilla chinensis (Bai Tou Weng), Coptis chinensis (Huang Lian), and Cortex Fraxini (Qin Pi). It is commonly used for acute bacterial dysentery; during epidemic seasons, drinking its decoction as a tea substitute has a preventive effect.
2. Used for abnormal vaginal discharge (red or white leukorrhea) and damp-heat urinary tract infections. For leukorrhea, it is combined with Cortex Acanthopanacis (Chu Gen Pi) and Sepia esculenta bone (Wu Zei Gu); for urinary tract infections, combined with Pyrrosia lingua (Shi Wei) and Plantago asiatica seeds (Che Qian Zi).
3. Used for bleeding caused by blood heat such as bloody stools, hemorrhoidal bleeding, hematuria, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, and postpartum hemorrhage, often combined with Sanguisorba officinalis (Di Yu), Sophora japonica (Huai Jiao), Rubia cordifolia (Qian Cao), and Small Thistle (Xiao Ji).
4. Used for various heat toxin conditions such as ulcers, carbuncles, erysipelas, swollen hemorrhoids, eczema, tinea, poison ivy dermatitis, and herpes. It can be used alone internally or externally. Combined with Lonicera japonica (Jin Yin Hua), Taraxacum mongolicum (Pu Gong Ying), and Viola yedoensis (Zi Di Ding), the effect is enhanced.

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decoction, 9–15 g; fresh herb 30–60 g. External use: appropriate amount, crushed and applied topically or decoction used for washing.

[Cautions] Contraindicated in cases of spleen deficiency with loose stools and in pregnancy.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents: The whole herb contains large amounts of norepinephrine and potassium salts, as well as dopa, dopamine, betacyanin, isobetanin, malic acid, amino acids, sugars, coumarin, flavonoids, coumarins, and cardiac glycosides.
2. Pharmacological effects: Extracts of Portulaca oleracea inhibit Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Its juice and extracts cause significant contraction of isolated animal uterus. Fresh juice or hot water extracts have isoproterenol-like effects on the heart and trachea, strengthening cardiac contractility, increasing heart rate, and relaxing isolated tracheal strips; these effects are completely blocked by propranolol. Extracts also have significant antioxidant, anti-aging, and skin moisturizing effects, as well as diuretic and cholesterol-lowering actions.
3. Clinical reports: 1) Chronic colitis: 50 g Portulaca oleracea, 50 g Pulsatilla chinensis, 50 g Phellodendron amurense decocted to 100 ml, plus 20 ml 2% procaine. Retained enema once nightly before sleep. Total 60 cases treated, overall effective rate 96.7%. [Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 1984, 4(3):178]
2) Pertussis: 20–30 g Portulaca oleracea decocted and concentrated to 100–150 ml, taken twice daily for 5 days per course. Total 50 cases treated, overall effective rate 96%. [Heilongjiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1988,(5):39]
3) Urticaria: 200–300 g whole herb decocted to concentrated juice, frequently applied to affected areas twice daily. Total 56 cases treated, 47 markedly effective, 5 improved, 4 ineffective. [Fujian Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1989,(4):52]
4) Acute urinary tract infection: 120–150 g dried herb (or 300 g fresh), 90 g brown sugar, decocted for half an hour to about 500 ml, taken hot, followed by bed rest under covers to induce sweating, three times daily, one dose each time. Total 56 cases treated, all cured. [Chinese Folk Therapy, 1998,(4):23]