Cnidium
Scientific names: Cnidium monnieri, Selinum monnieri
Family: Apiaceae/Umbelliferae
Alternate names: Cnidii Fructus, Cnidii Monnieri Fructus, Cnidii Rhizoma, Cnidium Extract, Cnidium Fruit, Cnidium Fruit Extract, Cnidium Monnier, Cnidium Monnieri Fructus, Cnidium Seeds, Extrait de Cnidium, Extrait de Fruit de Cnidium, Fruit de Cnidium, Graines de Cnidium, Jashoshi, Monnier's Snowparsley, Sasangia, She Chuang, She Chuang Dze, She Chuang Zi, Xasangtu
Background
Cnidium is a plant that is native to China. It is also commonly found in other parts of Asia. The fruit, seed, and other plant parts are used as medicine.
Cnidium is most commonly used for increasing sexual performance and sex drive, erectile dysfunction (ED), and skin conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any of its uses.
Cnidium is a common ingredient in Chinese lotions, creams, and ointments.
Cnidium is most commonly used for increasing sexual performance and sex drive, erectile dysfunction (ED), and skin conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any of its uses.
Cnidium is a common ingredient in Chinese lotions, creams, and ointments.
Safety Safety definitions
When taken by mouth: There isn't enough reliable information to know if cnidium is safe. It might cause side effects such as a bitter mouth, stomach discomfort, and drowsiness.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if cnidium is safe or what the side effects might be.
Surgery: Cnidium might slow blood clotting. It might cause extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using cnidium at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if cnidium is safe or what the side effects might be.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if cnidium is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.Surgery: Cnidium might slow blood clotting. It might cause extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using cnidium at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Effectiveness
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Insufficient evidence Effectiveness definitions
- Increasing sexual performance and sex drive.
- Erectile dysfunction (ED).
- Inability to become pregnant within a year of trying to conceive (infertility).
- Muscle strength.
- Cancer.
- Weak and brittle bones (osteoporosis).
- Infections.
- Increasing energy.
- Skin conditions including itchy skin, rashes, eczema (atopic dermatitis), and ringworm (Tinea corporis), when applied to the skin.
- Other conditions.
Dosing & administration
The appropriate dose of cnidium depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for cnidium. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Cnidium might slow blood clotting. Taking cnidium along with medications that slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.
Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, ticlopidine (Ticlid), warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
Sedative medications (CNS depressants)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Cnidium might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Medications that cause sleepiness are called sedatives. Taking cnidium along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness.
Some sedative medications include clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), zolpidem (Ambien), and others.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
Herbs and supplements that might slow blood clotting: Cnidium might slow blood clotting. Using cnidium along with other herbs that can slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bleeding in some people. These herbs include angelica, clove, danshen, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, Panax ginseng, and others.
Herbs and supplements with sedative properties: Cnidium might cause sleepiness. Using it along with other herbs and supplements that also act like sedatives might cause too much sleepiness. Some of these herbs and supplements include 5-HTP, calamus, California poppy, catnip, hops, Jamaican dogwood, kava, St. John's wort, skullcap, valerian, yerba mansa, and others.
Herbs and supplements with sedative properties: Cnidium might cause sleepiness. Using it along with other herbs and supplements that also act like sedatives might cause too much sleepiness. Some of these herbs and supplements include 5-HTP, calamus, California poppy, catnip, hops, Jamaican dogwood, kava, St. John's wort, skullcap, valerian, yerba mansa, and others.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
Action
Cnidium contains chemicals that might kill cancer and bacterial cells, reduce swelling (inflammation), strengthen bones, decrease itching, and increase sex drive.
Products
View all products
Per capsule:
- Cnidium monnieri (She Chuang Zi) ext. 26.7 mg
- Morindae officinalis ext. 27 mg
- Epimedium sagittatum ext. 27 mg
- Cuscuta hygrophilae ext. 27 mg
- Lycium chinense ext. 26.7 mg
- Dioscorea oppositifolia ext. 26.7 mg
- Eucommia ulmoides ext. 26.7 mg
- Rubus chingii ext. 26.7 mg
- Angelica polymorpha ext. 24 mg
- Paeonia lactiflora ext. 24 mg
- Cornus officinalis ext. 24 mg
- Glycyrrhiza uralensis ext. 13.5 mg
Practitioner product
vital.ly has licensed monographs from TRC Healthcare.
This monograph was last reviewed on 04/07/2024 10:00:00 and last updated on 05/09/2020 01:49:16. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
Natural Medicines disclaims any responsibility related to medical consequences of using any medical product. Effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is accurate at the time it was published. Consumers and medical professionals who consult this monograph are cautioned that any medical or product related decision is the sole responsibility of the consumer and/or the health care professional. A legal License Agreement sets limitations on downloading, storing, or printing content from this Database. No reproduction of this monograph or any content from this Database is permitted without written permission from the publisher. It is unlawful to download, store, or distribute content from this site.
Natural Medicines rates safety based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Likely Safe, Possibly Safe, Possibly Unsafe, Likely Unsafe, Unsafe, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. For more information about Natural Medicines’ Safety Rating System, click here.
The Natural Medicines Effectiveness Ratings are assigned for specific indications. A product might be rated "Possibly Effective" for one condition, but be rated "Likely Ineffective" for another condition, depending on the evidence. For more info click here.
