Vitex Fruit Man Jing Zi: A Traditional Herb for Relieving Headaches and Eye Issues
- Hongji Medical
- Jun 13
- 4 min read
Vitex Fruit, also known as Man Jing Zi or White Back Fruit, is the dried, mature fruit of Vitex trifolia or Vitex rotundifolia from the Verbenaceae family. Valued for its light, uplifting properties, it is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to clear wind-heat and relieve symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and eye disorders. This article explains its characteristics, uses, and modern applications in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
Vitex Fruit has been documented in ancient Chinese medical texts for centuries. The Shennong Bencao Jing (Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica) lists it as a top-grade herb, noting its ability to "treat cold and heat in the muscles and bones, relieve joint stiffness, improve vision, strengthen teeth, clear the nine orifices, and remove white spots from the eyes."
The Mingyi Bielu further describes it as effective for "treating one-sided headaches, wind-related issues, itchy skin, red and swollen eyes, and excessive tearing."
Ancient healers praised Vitex Fruit for its ability to disperse wind-heat and clear the head and eyes, making it a go-to herb for headaches, dizziness, and eye conditions.
Insights from Historical Texts
Bencao Gangmu: Li Shizhen described Vitex Fruit’s appearance, origin, and effects in detail. He noted it grows in coastal sandy areas, spreading like a vine with leaves resembling those of the chaste tree and fruits the size of wu-tong seeds, colored greenish-yellow. He emphasized its "light and uplifting nature, excellent for dispersing wind and treating head and face disorders."
Yaoxing Fu: This text concisely states that Vitex Fruit "clears wind from the head and eyes," summarizing its core function.
Characteristics of Vitex Fruit, Man Jing Zi
Taste and Properties
Vitex Fruit is pungent and bitter with a neutral nature. In TCM, it is associated with the bladder, liver, and stomach meridians, making it effective for head and eye issues.
Origin and Harvesting
It is mainly grown in southern China’s coastal regions, such as Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang. The fruits are harvested in autumn when mature and dried in the sun.
Appearance
Vitex Fruit is spherical, 4–8 mm in diameter, with a gray-green, gray-brown, or black-brown surface that is slightly glossy and covered by a persistent calyx. The base has a calyx and short stalk. The fruit’s skin is thin and brittle, easily breaking to reveal a single brownish seed. It has a fragrant aroma and a mild, slightly pungent taste.
Preparation
Vitex Fruit is used raw or stir-fried. Stir-frying reduces its pungent, dispersive nature for gentler effects.
Clinical Uses: Relieving Head and Eye Disorders
Vitex Fruit is primarily used to treat conditions caused by wind-heat affecting the head and eyes. Its main applications include:
Wind-Heat Headaches: Symptoms like throbbing headaches worsened by wind, often with fever, thirst, or sore throat.
Migraines: One-sided, pulsating headaches with nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light.
Dizziness: Symptoms like vertigo, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, or tinnitus.
Red and Swollen Eyes: Eye redness, swelling, pain, light sensitivity, or tearing.
Blurred Vision and Tearing: Reduced vision or excessive tear production.
Toothache: Pain caused by wind-fire.
Key Benefits
Disperses Wind-Heat: Its volatile oils help clear wind-heat, relieving headaches and fever from wind-heat colds.
Clears Head and Eyes: Alleviates headaches, dizziness, and eye issues by clearing wind-heat from the head.
Relieves Pain: Eases headaches and toothaches.
Herbal Combinations for Enhanced Effects
Vitex Fruit is often combined with other herbs in TCM formulas to boost its effectiveness. Common prescriptions include:
Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San: Combines Vitex Fruit with ligusticum, schizonepeta, angelica dahurica, notopterygium, licorice, and mint to relieve wind-related headaches. Vitex Fruit enhances the formula’s wind-dispersing and pain-relieving effects.
Qing shang Juan tong Tang: Includes scutellaria, forsythia, chrysanthemum, Vitex Fruit, mint, silkworm, cicada slough, and licorice to clear wind-heat and relieve headaches and red, swollen eyes.
Zheng tian Wan: Used for vascular, tension, or migraine headaches.
Comparing Vitex Fruit Man Jing Zi with Similar Herbs
Other herbs with similar wind-heat-dispersing and head-clearing effects include chrysanthemum, mint, and angelica dahurica, each with distinct strengths:
Chrysanthemum: Disperses wind-heat and calms liver yang, ideal for headaches, dizziness, and eye issues from liver yang hyperactivity.
Mint: Disperses wind-heat and soothes the throat, best for wind-heat colds and sore throats.
Angelica Dahurica: Expels wind-cold and relieves pain and swelling, used for wind-cold headaches, toothaches, and sores.
Vitex Fruit excels at dispersing wind-heat and clearing head and eye issues; chrysanthemum targets liver-related conditions; mint focuses on throat relief; and angelica dahurica is better for wind-cold and swelling.
Modern Research and Applications
Modern studies show Vitex Fruit contains volatile oils, flavonoids, and alkaloids with several benefits:
Pain Relief: Extracts reduce headache and other pain.
Anti-Inflammatory: Decreases swelling and pain from inflammation.
Antibacterial: Inhibits certain bacteria.
Blood Pressure Reduction: May lower blood pressure.
Sedative Effect: Promotes calmness and relaxation.
Modern Uses
Neurological Conditions: Used for headaches, migraines, and dizziness.
Eye Disorders: Applied in treating conjunctivitis and keratitis.
Other Conditions: Shows potential for managing high blood pressure and colds.
Precautions
Vitex Fruit should be used carefully:
Blood Deficiency Headaches: Avoid, as its dispersive nature may worsen symptoms.
Yin Deficiency with Heat: Avoid, as it may aggravate yin deficiency or internal heat.
Long-Term Use: Avoid prolonged use to prevent qi and yin depletion; use under medical guidance.
Conclusion
Vitex Fruit is a valuable TCM herb, prized for its ability to disperse wind-heat and relieve headaches, dizziness, and eye disorders. From ancient texts to modern research, its role in treating head and eye conditions is well-established. With ongoing studies, Vitex Fruit is likely to find even broader applications, contributing to health and well-being. However, its use should be guided by a professional to ensure safety and effectiveness.
