Chuān Jiāo (川椒) — Sichuan Pepper
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1. Overview
Chuān Jiāo (川椒) — also known as Hua Jiao (花椒) — is the dried fruit husk of Zanthoxylum bungeanum, the Sichuan pepper. It is one of the most powerfully warming herbs in the Chinese pharmacopoeia, with the characteristic tongue-numbing pungency that is also familiar from Sichuan cuisine. Its medicinal use is to warm the Middle Jiao, disperse deep Cold from the Spleen-Stomach and expel intestinal parasites — particularly roundworm. It is the second ingredient (after Wu Mei) of the classical anti-parasitic Wu Mei Wan.
2. Properties
| Pinyin name | Chuān Jiāo (Huā Jiāo) |
|---|---|
| Chinese characters | 川椒 / 花椒 |
| Latin name | Pericarpium Zanthoxyli / Zanthoxylum bungeanum |
| English name | Sichuan pepper |
| Nature | Hot (mildly toxic) |
| Flavour | Acrid |
| Channels entered | Spleen, Stomach, Kidney |
| Category | Warm interior herbs that expel Cold |
3. Actions and indications
Principal actions
- Warms the Middle Jiao and disperses Cold
- Expels parasites (particularly roundworm)
- Stops itching (topical use)
Indications
- Cold-pattern epigastric pain relieved by warmth and pressure
- Vomiting and diarrhoea from Cold in the Middle Jiao
- Roundworm and other intestinal parasites with abdominal pain and vomiting
- Cold-pattern dysmenorrhoea and infertility from Cold in the Uterus
- Topical use for itchy skin conditions and eczema
4. Key formulas containing Chuān Jiāo
- Wu Mei Wan — Roundworm with mixed Cold and Heat pattern
- Da Jian Zhong Tang — Cold from deficiency in the Middle Jiao with severe abdominal pain
5. Cautions
Contraindicated in Yin deficiency with Heat, pregnancy and Stomach Fire patterns. Mildly toxic in large doses. Standard clinical doses (3–6 g) are safe. Always consult a qualified Chinese herbalist registered with the RCHM.
6. Treatment at my clinic
I see patients at my clinic in Wokingham, Berkshire. Online consultations are available. Return to the Chinese herb directory.
Prefer to be treated from home? Chinese herbal medicine online consultations are available throughout the UK and worldwide. After a full video consultation, Dr (TCM) Attilio D'Alberto formulates a bespoke herbal prescription and posts your Chinese herbs directly to your door.
