Purple Perilla Fruit, Perilla Seed

Traditional Use

Primary Actions

• Directs rebellious Lung qi downward and stops cough and wheezing ... raw Su Zi is used when phlegm, cold, or weak descent causes noisy breathing, cough, and chest fullness.
• Transforms phlegm and eases chest oppression ... it is especially suited to cough or asthma patterns where abundant seed oils help the qi descend and loosen congested phlegm.
• Moistens the intestines and unblocks the bowels ... Su Zi helps constipation when dryness or weak downward movement coexists with Lung qi rebellion.

Secondary Actions

• Raw Su Zi is slightly more moistening and less moderated than the roasted Chao Su Zi sibling ... this page should stay distinct from the prepared perilla-seed page.
• The medicinal material includes the small fruit and seed together, so loose calyx fragments in trade lots are not necessarily impurity when the source is properly identified.

Classic Formulas

• Su Zi Jiang Qi Tang ... hallmark formula for wheezing, copious phlegm, and rebellious Lung qi with underlying deficiency below.
• San Zi Yang Qin Tang ... teaching formula that uses seed medicinals, including Su Zi, to descend qi and resolve food-phlegm obstruction.
• Run Chang Tang style logic ... oily seeds are used when constipation accompanies deficient fluid movement or poor downward conduction.

Classical References

• Traditional materia medica describes Su Zi as warm and descending, especially for cough, wheeze, and constipation from impaired Lung and Large Intestine movement.
• Roasting changes handling and emphasis but not the core herb identity, so raw and prepared perilla-seed pages are related yet not interchangeable.