Quick Facts
| Latin Name | Broussonetiae Fructus |
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| Chinese Name & Pinyin | 楮實子 · Chu Shi Zi |
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| Medicinal Part | Fruits and seeds |
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| Efficacy Category | Tonifying |
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| Botanical Origin | The dried mature fruit of Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) Vent.(Moraceae). |
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| Nature & Flavour | Sweet; Cold |
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| Channels Entered | Liver, Kidney |
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What Is Chu Shi Zi?
Chu Shi Zi (Paper Mulberry Fruit) is a medicinal herb of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Shanxi, Gansu, Hebei, Hunan, Hubei.
Nature & Flavour: Sweet; Cold
Channels Entered: Liver, Kidney
Chu Shi Zi: Materia Medica Profile
Identification & Quality Standard
Broussonetiae Fructus
Botanical Origin
The dried mature fruit of Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) Vent.(Moraceae).
Production Regions
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Shanxi, Gansu, Hebei, Hunan, Hubei.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material is red, old-seed, and lack of foreign matter.
Macroscopic Features
Small achene is flat spherical or oval, 2mm long, 1.5~2mm wide. Externally orange-red or brownish-red, with reticular wrinkles or granular protrusions, one side with slightly flat or an indented groove, other side with a ridge, base has scars of ovary. Hard texture, with one seed inside; seed coat is reddish-brown; kernel is white, oily. Tasteless.
Traditional TCM Properties
Sweet; ColdLiverKidney
Traditional Functions
Supplements the kidney, clears the liver, brightens the eyes, promotes urination. Apply to soreness and weakness of waist and knees, consumptive and bone-steaming, dizziness and blurred vision, corneal opacity, edema and swelling.
How Chu Shi Zi Is Used in TCM
In the Chinese materia medica, Chu Shi Zi is classified among the Tonifying herbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chu Shi Zi? Are Gou Qi Zi and Sang Shen the same?
Official Chu Shi Zi (楮实子) is the dried ripe fruit of Broussonetia papyrifera. The pharmacopoeial name is Broussonetiae Fructus. It is also called paper-mulberry fruit. Gou Qi Zi is sweet and neutral: nourishes the Liver and Kidney, boosts essence and brightens the eyes. Sang Shen is sweet-sour and cold: nourishes yin, supplements Blood, generates fluid and moistens dryness. Write Chu Shi Zi. Use caution in Spleen-Stomach vacuity cold.
What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Chu Shi Zi?
According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Chu Shi Zi is sweet and cold, enters the Liver and Kidney channels, and acts to supplement the Kidney, clear the Liver, brighten the eyes and promote urination. It is used for Liver-Kidney insufficiency, sore weak waist and knees, vacuity-taxation steaming bone, dizziness and dim vision, eye films, and edema with fullness. Sweet, cold and clearing, it suits Liver-Kidney insufficiency with vacuity heat—not Spleen-Stomach vacuity cold or loose stool.
How do you choose Chu Shi Zi versus Gou Qi Zi? Can Sang Shen replace it?
Paper-mulberry fruit is cold, clears the Liver and also promotes urination. Lycium fruit is neutral and supplements essence and Blood while brightening the eyes. Mulberry fruit leans to nourishing yin, supplementing Blood and moistening dryness. They cannot replace one another by equal weight. Commercial paper-mulberry tea is not equal-weight pieces.
Learn More About Chu Shi Zi
Explore our in-depth article covering the traditional uses, properties, functions, and TCM context of Chu Shi Zi.
Read the Chu Shi Zi Guide →
Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.
