Ma Chi Xian — Purslane
Ma Chi Xian—purslane—is a cooling, detoxifying herb that clears damp-heat and toxic heat from the large intestine. It is used especially for dysentery, bloody diarrhea, and skin conditions caused by damp-heat. As both a food and a medicine, it is well tolerated and versatile.
Effect from a Western perspective
Ma Chi Xian contains omega-3 fatty acids (α-linolenic acid), flavonoids, alkaloids, and vitamins (A, C, E). It is one of the richest plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
- Antibacterial: Effective against E. coli, Shigella, and Salmonella
- Rich in omega-3: Highest content among leafy vegetables
- Anti-inflammatory: Inhibition of COX-2 and proinflammatory cytokines
- Antidiabetic: Improves insulin sensitivity
- Wound healing: Accelerated epithelialization with topical application
Effect from a TCM perspective
Ma Chi Xian clears damp-heat and detoxifies toxic heat. It cools the blood and stops bleeding. Its main indications are damp-heat patterns in the large intestine: dysentery, bloody diarrhea, and skin conditions characterized by oozing and itching.
- Clears dampness and heat in the large intestine (dysentery, diarrhea with blood and mucus)
- Detoxifies toxic heat (boils, abscesses, skin infections)
- Cools the blood and stops bleeding (hemorrhoidal bleeding)
- Treats conditions caused by moisture, heat, and skin disorders (eczema, dermatitis)
- Eliminates moisture and heat through urine
Application & dosage
- 15–30 g in a decoction (standard dose)
- Fresh: 30–60 g (as a vegetable or juice)
- External use: freshly crushed as a poultice
Dosage forms
- Decoction
- fresh juice
- topical application
- as a vegetable
Dosage
- 15–30 g (dried)
- 30–60 g (fresh)
Frequent combination partners
Ma Chi Xian often does not reach its full potential until it is combined with other herbs
Combinations & formulas
- With Huang Lian forms Ma Chi Xian A powerful combination for treating dampness, heat, and dysentery with bloody stools and tenesmus.
- With Jin Yin Hua and Lian Qiao It enhances the detoxifying effect in cases of skin infections and abscesses.
- With Bai Tou Weng It clears toxic heat in the large intestine in cases of amoebic dysentery.
History & Tradition
Ma Chi Xian is already mentioned in the *Shén Nóng Běn Cǎo Jīng* and has been documented since the Tang Dynasty as the primary remedy for dysentery and bloody diarrhea. Sun Simiao recommends it in the *Qiān Jīn Yào Fāng* for both internal and external use in treating skin conditions.
The name 马齿苋 means „horse-tooth vegetable“ and refers to the shape of the leaves. In Europe, purslane was a popular salad vegetable until the 17th century—a tradition that is currently experiencing a revival.
Contraindications & caution
Do not use for spleen-cold with watery diarrhea. Use with caution during pregnancy (traditionally classified as uterine-contracting). Do not use for cold-diarrhea without signs of heat. High oxalate content—use with caution in cases of kidney stones.
Botany
Portulaca oleracea is an annual, succulent plant in the purslane family (Portulacaceae). It grows to a height of 10–30 cm, has fleshy, spatulate leaves, and reddish stems. Small yellow flowers appear in the summer.
Distribution: Found worldwide as a cosmopolitan weed. Grows wild and is cultivated in China. Prefers warm, sunny locations with moist soil. Harvest in the summer during the peak growing season.
Harvest time
Summer (full growing season)
Processing
Used fresh or gently dried
Related herbs
Herbs with similar effects and related areas of application
Comparable western herbs
- Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) — anti-inflammatory and diuretic; widely used throughout Europe and Western Asia; inhibits COX-2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α — has a mechanism of action very similar to that of Ma Chi Xian in inflammatory bowel diseases and weeping skin conditions. Extensive folk medicine tradition and well-documented modern evidence.
- Marigold (Calendula officinalis) — antiseptic, wound-healing, and anti-inflammatory; originally native to the Mediterranean region, now cultivated worldwide; Flavonoids and triterpene saponins are effective for skin infections and weeping eczema—a topical indication comparable to that of Ma Chi Xian for damp-heat skin disorders. Solid clinical evidence supports its wound-healing properties.
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) — antibacterial, astringent, and hemostatic; ubiquitous in Europe in meadows and along roadsides; Sesquiterpene lactones and flavonoids inhibit bleeding and inflammation of the digestive tract—similar to Ma Chi Xian’s use in treating bloody diarrhea and hemorrhoidal bleeding. Deeply rooted in tradition, yet pharmacologically well understood.