Fù Pén Zǐ (覆盆子) — Chinese Raspberry
By Dr (TCM) Attilio D’Alberto — registered Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner (BAcC, RCHM) with over 25 years’ clinical experience.
On this page
1. Overview
Fù Pén Zǐ (覆盆子) — the unripe fruit of Rubus chingii, Chinese raspberry — is a sweet, sour, slightly warm Chinese herb that tonifies the Kidney and Liver, secures Essence, and brightens the eyes. It is one of the five herbs of Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan (Five-Seed Pill to Generate Descendants), the classical male-fertility formula. In modern practice it is widely used for male sub-fertility, urinary frequency, spermatorrhoea and Liver-Kidney Yin deficiency with blurred vision.
2. Properties
| Pinyin name | Fù Pén Zǐ |
|---|---|
| Chinese characters | 覆盆子 |
| Latin name | Fructus Rubi / Rubus chingii |
| English name | Chinese raspberry |
| Nature | Slightly warm |
| Flavour | Sweet, sour |
| Channels entered | Liver, Kidney |
| Category | Stabilise and bind / tonify Yang |
| Dosage | 5–10 g, decocted |
3. Actions and indications
Principal actions
- Tonifies the Kidney and secures Essence — for spermatorrhoea, nocturnal emission, premature ejaculation, urinary frequency, enuresis and male sub-fertility.
- Nourishes the Liver and brightens the eyes — for blurred vision, sore eyes and night blindness with Liver-Kidney Yin deficiency.
- Warms the Kidney and stops urinary leakage — for cold-pattern enuresis in children and the elderly.
4. Key formulas
- Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan — with Gou Qi Zi, Tu Si Zi, Wu Wei Zi and Che Qian Zi; the classical male-fertility prescription.
5. Cautions
Caution in Yin deficiency with marked Heat signs. Generally well tolerated.
6. Treatment at my clinic
I prescribe Fu Pen Zi very frequently as part of Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan for male sub-fertility, particularly where semen analysis shows reduced sperm count, motility or morphology. Online Chinese herbal consultations are available. See prices for costs.
