Herb module
Shan Zhu Yu
Cornelian cherryCornus officinalis
A tart red dogwood fruit, traditionally used to steady the Kidney and hold in precious Jing and fluids.
Shan Zhu Yu is the bright red fruit of a dogwood tree, prized in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its astringent, holding-in quality. It is used to stabilize the Kidney and keep Jing and Body Fluids from leaking away, while also nourishing Liver and Kidney Yin. It sits near the top of Zoi's Kidney Meridian™ formula, where it helps anchor the Kidney's deep reserves.
Best functions
- Stabilizes the Kidney and astringes Jing
- Holds in Body Fluids and is traditionally used to calm excessive sweating
- Tonifies Liver and Kidney Yin and strengthens Kidney Yang
- Traditionally used to steady the menses and restrain excessive bleeding
- Research has looked at its compounds cornuside and loganin and their effects on inflammatory signaling
Fascinating facts
- Despite its name, the cornelian cherry is a dogwood rather than a true cherry.
- Its small yellow flowers open in late winter or early spring, before the leaves appear, followed by glossy red oval fruits with a sour taste.
- Cornelian cherry is described as an important traditional food and medicine in both Europe and Asia.
- A traditional study note calls Shan Zhu Yu "the astringent Kidney guardian" that "closes the gate." The image is of a gatekeeper helping the body hold on to what it needs to keep.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine
Shan Zhu Yu is a sour, astringent herb that is slightly warm in nature. It belongs to the astringent herbs and enters the Kidney and Liver channels.
Biomedical deep dive
Shan Zhu Yu Cornelian cherry
From the Zoi Medicinals fact sheets’ Biomedical Details, with lines from Noa’s herb notes marked “Noa’s notes”.
On the fact sheet
- Shan Zhu Yu (Cornelian cherry, Fructus Corni, Cornus mas) is slightly warm and enters the KI and LIV meridians; stabilizes the Kidney, astringes Jing and Body Fluids, stops excessive sweating, tonifies Liver and Kidney Yin and strengthens Kidney Yang. Kidney Meridian sheet
Key active constituents
- Loganin, named in the cited osteoarthritis study (Kidney Meridian sheet references).
- Secoiridoids, named in a cited study on dogwood (Cornus officinalis) and progesterone signaling (Kidney Meridian sheet references).
Pharmacology and mechanisms
- The Kidney Meridian sheet says Cornelian cherry has anti-inflammatory properties, and in animals it has been shown to slow pathological changes and protect the kidney.
- Animal studies suggest positive effects on estrogen levels, ovulation and progesterone signaling.
- In male animal studies it improved sperm concentration and motility, and oxidative balance in the testicles.
- Cornuside and loganin are anti-inflammatory; they inhibit TNF-α and IL-6 (inflammatory messengers). Noa’s notes
- Anti-diabetic: reduced fasting blood glucose and HbA1c in animal models. Noa’s notes
- Neuroprotective: reduces amyloid-β toxicity and protects nerve cells from apoptosis (programmed cell death). · Noa’s notes
What the research says
- A review of Corni Fructus covers its constituents and kidney-protective, anti-inflammatory activity (Dong et al., Chin Med 2018).
- In a randomized trial in postmenopausal women, Cornus mas fruit extract was associated with lower weight, BMI, fasting insulin, insulin resistance and better cholesterol-to-HDL ratios (Gholamrezayi et al., Phytother Res 2019).
- In animals, loganin slowed osteoarthritis by supporting healthy collagen and slowing cartilage cell death (Hu et al., J Ethnopharmacol 2020).
- Secoiridoids from dogwood (Cornus officinalis) were shown to boost progesterone signaling in lab work (Lee et al., J Nat Prod 2021).
Safety, interactions and cautions
- Every Zoi fact sheet: do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding unless directed by your health care practitioner.
In these Zoi formulas
- ★ Kidney Meridian (#2 on the fact sheet)
