Chai Hu's woody, pungent aroma leaves a lightly bitter taste at the back of the mouth. Being uplifting and upward moving, it awakens the eyes, forehead and the mind, bringing clarity of vision to what we think and clarity of thought to what we see. Chai Hu essential oil harmonizes our internal and external worlds. Its channel affinities—Liver/Gall Bladder and Pericardium/Triple Heater—further account for this Yin/Yang balancing action.

Li Gao commented: "it focuses on blood in the Yin organs, while in the channels it focuses on Qi" making it a perfect choice where regulation of both Qi and Blood, which are essential in menstrual disorders, and when Liver Qi constraint causes emotional disturbances, digestive distress or pain.*

Our Chai Hu essential oil is steam distilled from the root of Bupleurum, a perennial herb which grows wild on the sunny sides of sedge thickets in central and eastern China. It's small golden flowers bloom in autumn. For medicinal use, the roots are dug up in Spring or Autumn and dried in the sun.

In pharmacological studies, Chai Hu essential oil and one of its main chemical components, saikosaponin, demonstrated analgesic and sedative effects.

Note: Middle and base

TCM Category: Releasing the exterior

Channels Entered: Liver, Gall Bladder, Pericardium, San Jiao

Major chemical components: Triterpine saponine: saikosaponin [7] Aldehydes: hexanal, furfural carbaldehyde, heptanal. Sesuiterpenes: cedrene, cuparene, thujopsene, cadinene, beta elemene. Sesquiterpene alcohol: cedrol. Monoterpenes: fenchene, pinene, sabinene.

Steam distilled Radix Bupleuri
(Bupleurum Root, Chinese Thorowax Root, Hare's Ear Root)