Solomon’s Seal (Yu Zhu)

Botanical Name: Polygonatum biflorum

Solomon’s seal is edible and medicinal. It is best known for its ability to heal sprains, joint injuries, connective tissue and cartilage injuries, bruising, arthritis, and low back pain. It is also used effectively to treat dry coughs, chronic respiratory ailments, and digestive issues. It is helpful for treating conditions associated with dryness. It also aids postpartum recovery and menstrual cramps. Solomon seal (Polygonatum biflorum, Yu Zhu or Huang Jing) should not be confused with Polygonum (Polygonum multiflorum, He Sho Wu).

Watch a short video, from Ann Christensen, Founder and Creator of White Rabbit Institute of Healing™ – Solomon’s Seal: East, West, and African American Perspectives.

Below is an overview of solomon’s seal, combining the best of Western Science, Oriental Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Shamanism, Folklore, and a wide range of healing modalities. Gain a balanced and thorough understanding of the healing properties of solomon’s seal.

Parts Most Frequently Used: Root​

Flavors/Temps: Sweet, Neutral to Slightly Cold

Caution: Solomon’s seal root is safe to use. However, parts of the plant are poisonous. The roots and tender shoots are safe to eat; the rest of the plant, especially the berries, are poisonous.

Key Constituents: Saponins, Convallamarin, Asparagine, Gum, Sugar, Starch, Pectin, Alkaloids, Vitamin A

History/Folklore: Solomon’s seal is best known for its ability to heal sprains, joint injuries, connective tissue and cartilage, bruising, arthritis, and low back pain. It can be used to treat repetitive stress injuries, tendonitis, and broken bones. It is effectively combined with mullein and horsetail to help treat the kinds of injuries mentioned here and can also be combined with nettle to effectively treat joint pain and arthritis. The herb’s ability to “play nicely” with other herbs gives it a broad range of possible applications for healing injuries or muscular-skeletal complaints, especially those associated with dryness.

It is unclear how the herb works, but its impact on joint and synovial fluids is obvious and well-documented. Some of its benefits come from its mucilage properties; however, mucilage does not typically transport well in the bloodstream (and therefore is less able to reach the joints), so this does not entirely address the root’s power as a lubricant to the joints and tendons.

Only very small doses are needed to begin the healing process–sometimes only three to five drops per day over a week. The dosage can be increased if needed, but small amounts work quite well, typically in the range of five to ten drops per day.

The lubricating properties of Solomon’s seal make it useful for treating dry coughs and constipation associated with dry intestines. It has also been used to treat male infertility if this condition is associated with dry tissues.

Used topically as a wash or poultice, the herb can help heal injuries and bruises and ameliorate skin problems such as blemishes, poison ivy, hemorrhoids, and other similar skin ailments. It can be gargled or used as a mouthwash to help strengthen gums.

Solomon’s seal tea can be a useful tonic for the kidneys, heart, and sexual organs.

Solomon’s seal has also been used to slow profuse menstruation and internal bleeding and relieve digestive complaints (including ulcers, bowel problems, and diarrhea).

Solomon’s seal root is edible and has been used by Native American tribes as food and medicine for centuries. It has been widely used to help heal injuries, broken bones, and coughs. The Menominee tribes also used the herb as a smudge to revive unconscious patients.

The English herbalist John Gerard (c. 1545-1612) recommended Solomon’s seal to heal broken bones; he also claimed that in one or two nights it could take away bruises sustained by women who had stumbled “upon their hasty husbands’ fists”. Apparently, in his time, women being beaten by their husbands was a common enough occurrence to be noted as a condition for treatment.

In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Solomon’s seal is most typically used to tonify the Spleen and Stomach, especially Spleen and Stomach Qi to improve appetite and reduce fatigue. It is used to Moisten the Lungs, helping to ease dry coughs and sore throats, and to Tonify the Kidneys, helping to reduce low back pain and weakness in the lower back. It is also used topically to heal bruises, skin ulcers, boils, and hemorrhoids.

In Chinese herbal shops, it is sold in slices; for a good-quality product, select slices with a nice golden to whitish color (but not bleached white). In Korea, the herb is used in a tea called dungulle. To make this tea, soak Yu Zhu in cool water for 10 minutes and then place in a pot with 3 cups of water; bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Let it cook over low heat for 2+ hours. Check to be certain the water does not cook off; if needed, add more water. Considered safe, the herb is not recommended for those suffering from Spleen or Stomach Deficiency or with Phlegm-Damp.

A legend in China associates the herb with longevity. It is told that an abducted village woman escaped the royal palace where she had been taken and hid in the woods. She survived by eating just the herb, developing a slim figure and lovely smooth skin. When she returned to her village 60 years later, her neighbors were amazed to see that she looked the same as she had when she entered the palace so many years before.

The root is a starch-like food used to make bread and soups. The young shoots are also edible and can be eaten raw or boiled like asparagus. The roots should be boiled with three changes of water before being roasted and served as a side dish. (The water can be saved to use medicinally.)

A typical proportion for making tea is about ½ tsp of dried root to 6 to 10 oz of water. (Remember, this is an herb that works well in small doses.) In decoction, typically 1 to 4 oz. taken 3 times daily is recommended.

The name Polygonatum derives from the ancient Greek word meaning “many knees”. This refers to the multiple joints found in the rhizomes. The roots also bear depressions that resemble royal seals, possibly suggesting the common name Solomon’s seal (aka the Star of David). Another suggestion for the plant’s common name is that the cut roots resemble Hebrew characters. Yet another notes that the “seals” on the rhizomes, where the stalks arise, are a sign of the plant’s ability to “seal” and repair injuries. These “seals” appear when the plant dies back and the stalks fall from the root, leaving a scar behind that is similar to the Star of David.

Solomon’s seal is widely held to be a powerful protector able to ward off evil and attract success, especially in financial matters. It has been burned in ceremonies to help attract profitable career and business opportunities as well as to protect the home. The root is also used in magic to call upon the Elementals.