Bai Jie Zi – Mustard Seed – Semen Sinapis

Bai Jie Zi

English Name: white mustard seed

Pharmaceutical Name: Semen Sinapsis

Medica Category: Phlegm-Resolving Herbs

Properties: Bai Jie Zi enters the Lung channel; it is acrid in nature and warm in temperature.

What is Bai Jie Zi?:

The Chinese Herb Bai Jie Zi is the seeds from the white mustard plant (Sinapsis alba (L.) Boiss.), an annual with now worldwide distribution.  It blooms with yellow flowers that produce seed pods containing roughly a half dozen seeds. These seeds are harvested just prior to the pods becoming ripe and bursting—they are then dried, and crushed or ground into powder for use as medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Bai JIe Zi:

Bai Jie Zi warms the Lung and dispels phlegm to treat “cold phlegm accumulations” that block and/or reverse the normal flow of qi. This is commonly presented clinically as a cough with wheezing/shortness of breath accompanied by profuse clear or white sputum coming up. Phlegm obstructing the Lung channel can also manifest as a sharp pain in the thorax and neck.

Bai Jie Zi clears phlegm obstructing the channels and collaterals and regulates qi to address severe pain and numbness of the lower back and around the waist. This action also accounts for this herb being effective at dissipating the nodules that can appear when excess phlegm hardens into masses.

–safety notes:

Overdose easily causes diarrhea.

Topical application can irritate skin and may cause allergic reactions or blisters. Keep away from the eyes.

Contraindicated for persons with chronic, deficient cough.

Contraindicated in cases of Stomach fire.