Can women with excessive liver fire consume Cornus officinalis (Shanzhuyu)?

Generally speaking, whether women with excessive liver fire can consume cornus fruit (Shanzhuyu) mainly depends on the specific circumstances. If excessive liver fire is accompanied by kidney deficiency, it is usually acceptable to consume cornus fruit. However, if only excessive liver fire is present, it is generally not recommended. Detailed explanations are as follows:

Cornus fruit has the effect of nourishing the liver and kidneys and can help alleviate symptoms such as dizziness, tinnitus, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, which occur alongside excessive liver fire and kidney deficiency. When consumed in appropriate amounts and under effective symptom control, women with excessive liver fire may consume cornus fruit as an adjunct to regulating their physical condition. Additionally, plant estrogen and other components in cornus fruit can help women regulate their endocrine system and improve symptoms such as menstrual disorders and dysmenorrhea caused by endocrine imbalances.

However, if a female patient presents only obvious symptoms of excessive liver fire, such as bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, red and painful eyes, irritability, and anger, without significant symptoms of kidney deficiency, consuming cornus fruit—which has a warm nature—may exacerbate symptoms of liver fire and even lead to heatiness, which is detrimental to health.

In daily life, it is recommended to maintain good lifestyle habits, such as regular sleep patterns, moderate exercise, and a cheerful mood, which can also help alleviate symptoms of excessive liver fire.

References

[1] Zhang Yanyan, Huang Yigang. Research on the Bioactivity of Cornus Fruit (Shanzhuyu) [J]. Modern Food, 2024, 30(20): 76-78.

[2] Yu Hongwei. Cornus Fruit (Shanzhuyu)—Both Medicine and Food [J]. Henan Agriculture, 2024, (15): 2.