Ma Chi Xian (马齿苋) — Purslane
Ma Chi Xian — purslane — is a common wild plant used in Chinese medicine for damp-heat dysentery, bacterial diarrhoea, urinary tract infection and hot skin conditions. Also cultivated as a leafy vegetable across the Mediterranean and Middle East, it is one of the most widely available anti-inflammatory herbs.
On this page
- Overview
- Properties
- Actions and indications
- Dosage
- Cautions and incompatibilities
- Key formulas
- Treatment at my clinic
1. Overview
Ma Chi Xian (马齿苋) — Purslane (Portulaca oleracea (purslane)) — is a Chinese herb in the Clear Heat and Resolve Toxicity category. I prescribe it as part of bespoke pharmaceutical-grade granule formulas from Sun Ten in Taiwan at my clinic in Wokingham, Berkshire and via online herbal consultations.
2. Properties
| Pinyin name | Ma Chi Xian |
|---|---|
| Chinese characters | 马齿苋 |
| Latin name | Portulaca oleracea (purslane) |
| English name | Purslane |
| Nature | Cold |
| Flavour | Sour |
| Channels entered | Large Intestine, Liver |
| Category | Clear Heat and Resolve Toxicity |
3. Actions and indications
Principal actions
- Clears Heat and resolves toxicity in the intestines
- Cools Blood
- Stops dysentery-type diarrhoea
Indications
- Damp-Heat dysentery with bloody stool
- Bacterial gastroenteritis
- Hot painful urination and haematuria
- Snake and insect bites
- Hot furuncles
4. Dosage
9–15g dried; 60–120g fresh
5. Cautions and incompatibilities
- Not for Spleen-Cold diarrhoea
- Contraindicated in pregnancy
- Reduce dose in weak patients
6. Key formulas
Ma Chi Xian is used in a range of bespoke prescriptions rather than a fixed classical formula in modern practice. Consult a qualified TCM herbalist for individual prescription.
7. Treatment at my clinic
I prescribe Ma Chi Xian where its indications and TCM pattern match the patient’s presentation, always as part of a tailored formula. Return to the Chinese herbs directory or the Chinese herbal medicine main page.
