Shā Jí (沙棘) — Sea Buckthorn
On this page
- Overview
- Properties
- Actions and indications
- Modern research and uses
- Cautions
- Treatment at my clinic
1. Overview
Shā Jí (沙棘) — the bright-orange berry of Hippophae rhamnoides, sea buckthorn — is one of the most nutrient-dense plants in the world and an established traditional Chinese, Tibetan and Mongolian medicine. It is a sweet, sour, warm herb that tonifies the Spleen, stops cough, transforms Phlegm and invigorates Blood. Modern interest has surged because the berry, seed oil and pulp oil contain exceptional concentrations of vitamin C (10× that of orange), vitamin E, carotenoids, flavonoids and the rare omega-7 fatty acid palmitoleic acid — explaining its widespread use in modern dermatology, cardiovascular and mucous-membrane health.
2. Properties
| Pinyin name | Shā Jí |
|---|---|
| Chinese characters | 沙棘 |
| Latin name | Fructus Hippophae / Hippophae rhamnoides |
| English name | Sea buckthorn berry |
| Nature | Warm |
| Flavour | Sour, astringent, sweet |
| Channels entered | Spleen, Stomach, Lung, Heart |
| Category | Tonify the Spleen, transform Phlegm and invigorate Blood |
| Dosage | 3–10 g dried berry, decocted; 1–3 g powder; sea buckthorn oil 2–5 mL daily |
3. Actions and indications
Principal actions
- Tonifies Spleen and transforms Food Stagnation — for indigestion, loss of appetite, abdominal distension and weak digestion. The sour-sweet combination strengthens digestive function while preserving Stomach Yin.
- Stops cough and transforms Phlegm — for chronic cough with thick phlegm, particularly in long-standing bronchitis and post-viral cough. The traditional Tibetan and Mongolian use most widely studied in modern Chinese pharmacology.
- Invigorates Blood and resolves Blood stagnation — for amenorrhoea, traumatic injury, ischaemic chest pain (angina) and post-partum lochiostasis. Modern studies confirm cardioprotective effects.
- Generates fluids and clears Lung Heat — the high vitamin C content moistens dry mucous membranes; useful in dry cough and sore throat with Yin deficiency.
4. Modern research and uses
Sea buckthorn berry, seed oil and pulp oil are now widely studied for:
- Cardiovascular health — flavonoids (isorhamnetin, quercetin, kaempferol) reduce LDL oxidation, improve endothelial function and modestly lower blood pressure.
- Skin and mucous-membrane health — omega-7 (palmitoleic acid) supports skin barrier integrity, reduces inflammatory skin conditions (eczema, rosacea, acne) and protects vaginal and oral mucous membranes. Used internally and topically for dry-eye, dry-mouth and dry-vagina patterns.
- Wound healing and burns — topical sea buckthorn oil accelerates wound healing in burns, radiation burns and ulcers.
- Immune support — vitamin C, carotenoids and flavonoids together produce a meaningful immune-supportive effect during winter and post-viral recovery.
- Antioxidant effect — among the highest ORAC scores measured in any food.
For UK consumers the most common forms are sea buckthorn juice, dried berry powder, and pure seed or pulp oil. The oil is generally taken on an empty stomach for mucous-membrane support.
5. Cautions
Sea buckthorn is exceptionally well tolerated. Caution in those with cold-pattern diarrhoea or weak Stomach with strong sour intolerance — the sour-warm nature may aggravate acid reflux in susceptible individuals. Sea buckthorn oil mildly inhibits platelet aggregation; consult your doctor if you take anticoagulants. Safe in pregnancy in food doses.
6. Treatment at my clinic
I prescribe sea buckthorn berry or oil where the TCM pattern calls for Spleen tonification with Blood-invigoration, or where modern dermatological/mucous-membrane support is needed. Online Chinese herbal consultations are available throughout the UK and worldwide. See prices for costs.
