Pseudostellaria Root tài zǐ shēn · 太子参

Pseudostellaria heterophylla (Pseudostellariae Radix)

Nature and flavour. Sweet, slightly bitter and neutral; Spleen and Lung systems.

A mild, non-cloying qi tonic. Traditionally used where Spleen and Lung qi is weak but a stronger tonic is not tolerated — after illness, in the elderly, and in children, which is why it also carries the name 孩儿参 (child's shen). Despite the shen in its name it is not a Panax: Pseudostellaria belongs to the family Caryophyllaceae, and it should not be assumed to share ginseng's pharmacology or the interactions documented for ginseng.