The Benefits of Drinking Decoction of Sophora Root
Jan 09, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhang Xiuhong
Introduction
Sophora flavescens (Ku Shen) can dry dampness and clear heat, effectively eliminating damp-heat in the lower jiao, alleviating diarrhea and dysentery caused by the accumulation of damp-heat, and reducing intestinal symptoms associated with damp-heat. For leukorrhea caused by downward invasion of damp-heat, drinking water infused with Sophora flavescens can also provide certain therapeutic benefits, reducing abnormal vaginal discharge through its effects of clearing heat and drying dampness. Sophora flavescens also possesses potent antiparasitic properties.
Sophora flavescens is a type of traditional Chinese herb. Its efficacy when steeped in water generally includes clearing heat and drying dampness, killing parasites and relieving itching, promoting urination to relieve dysuria, improving sleep, cooling blood to stop bleeding, among others.
1. Clearing Heat and Drying Dampness
Sophora flavescens can dry dampness and clear heat, especially effective in eliminating damp-heat in the lower jiao (lower body region). It can alleviate diarrhea, dysentery caused by accumulation of damp-heat, and reduce intestinal damp-heat symptoms. For leukorrhea caused by downward invasion of damp-heat, drinking Sophora flavescens water also has certain improvement effects, helping reduce abnormal secretion by clearing heat and drying dampness.
2. Killing Parasites and Relieving Itching
Sophora flavescens has strong anti-parasitic effects. When applied externally or taken internally, it shows good therapeutic effects for skin conditions such as pruritus and scabies. Drinking appropriate Sophora flavescens water can effectively relieve itching caused by parasites or damp-heat, alleviate discomfort, and promote improvement of skin symptoms.
3. Promoting Urination and Relieving Dysuria
Sophora flavescens helps promote urination, facilitating the elimination of internal damp-heat through urine. Drinking it appropriately may help treat damp-heat accumulation in the bladder, improving symptoms such as difficult urination, frequent urination, urgency, and pain during urination. Through its diuretic effect, it helps clear damp-heat from the bladder, reduce inflammation in the urinary system, and alleviate discomfort during urination.
4. Improving Sleep
Sophora flavescens has certain sedative and calming effects. Drinking an appropriate amount of Sophora flavescens water can calm the mind, promote sleep onset, and help improve sleep quality. It can provide some relief for sleep disorders such as insomnia and frequent dreams.
5. Cooling Blood and Stopping Bleeding
Sophora flavescens is cold in nature and enters the blood system, possessing the effect of cooling blood to stop bleeding. It has certain hemostatic effects for various bleeding conditions caused by excessive heat in the blood, such as hematochezia (blood in stool) and hematuria (blood in urine). It works by clearing heat and cooling the blood, thereby reducing heat in the blood system, controlling bleeding, alleviating bleeding symptoms, and aiding recovery of the body's qi and blood.
It is recommended to use Sophora flavescens water under the guidance of a physician. Do not take it arbitrarily without medical advice. During consumption, maintain a light diet and avoid spicy, stimulating, greasy, raw, or cold foods to prevent adverse effects on health.
