The Herb That Warns You: Osuyu in the Donguibogam

Most entries list virtues. Osuyu's entry also tells you what happens if you take too much.

Osuyu (吳茱萸) is recorded as hot (熱) in nature, among the hottest fruits in the book. Its entry shows well how a record can state both virtue and limit.

The uses the text records

Its main action is to warm the middle, bring qi down and stop pain. It is recorded for cold accumulated in the chest and abdomen causing wringing pain, for vomiting, diarrhea and cramps in sudden turmoil disorder, and for cold qi in the stomach.

And "slightly toxic" (有小毒)

The book explicitly marks it as slightly toxic, with a warning that taking too much blocks qi, makes the mouth gape and the eyes blur. It is also marked as an imported (唐) medicine from China.

Processing — removing the bitterness

Hence it required repeated soaking to remove bitterness before use — a prime example of the tradition of processing rather than taking a medicine raw. For processing in general, see What Is Beopje?.

In short

Osuyu is not a self-prescription material. It is said to be unsuitable in pregnancy or in excess-heat constitutions and requires professional guidance. A milder warming example is Ginger. This article is educational.