Traditional Uses: In Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2,000 years, it has been used as a tonic to nourish the liver and kidneys, strengthen the essence (Jing), improve eyesight (“brighten the eyes”), and promote longevity and vitality.
Potential Benefits: May support immune function, protect vision (due to high zeaxanthin content), and improve lipid profiles and blood sugar control, though high-quality human clinical trials are still considered limited.
Warnings: Avoid during pregnancy due to potential uterine-stimulating effects; may cause serious interactions with blood thinners like warfarin (increased bleeding risk) and should be used cautiously with diabetes and blood pressure medications.
