Asiatic Dogwood

Botanical

What is it

Asiatic dogwood (Cornus officinalis), known as shan zhu yu in traditional Chinese medicine, is the fruit of an East Asian dogwood tree used as a tonic for kidney and liver function and as part of formulas for fatigue and excessive sweating.

Evidence for 1 use

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

Traditional kidney tonic

Mixed Evidence

Long traditional use within TCM formulas; single-herb modern clinical evidence is minimal.

How it works

The fruit contains iridoid glycosides (loganin, morroniside), triterpenoids, organic acids, and polyphenols. In TCM, it is considered an astringent kidney tonic. Modern pharmacological studies in animals show antioxidant, neuroprotective, and modest blood-glucose-lowering effects. Human clinical evidence as a single herb is limited; most use is within multi-herb formulas like Liu Wei Di Huang Wan.

Dosage

No RDA. Traditional doses are 6-12 g of dried fruit in decoction per day.

When and how to take it

No timing baseline. Often combined with other herbs in TCM formulas.

2 commercial forms

Compare the main delivery options and what they’re best suited for.

Dried fruit (without seeds)

Used in decoctions or extracts.

Traditional preparation.

Standardized extract

Used in modern supplements.

Often standardized to loganin.

Safety

Generally well tolerated in traditional use. Long-term modern safety data are limited.

Who should be cautious

Pregnancy: limited data, generally avoid. People with urinary obstruction should avoid traditional astringent uses.

Interactions

Theoretical interactions with antidiabetic medication and diuretics. No documented clinical drug interactions.

Frequently asked questions

Is Asiatic dogwood related to the ornamental dogwood?⌄

Yes, they are both Cornus species. Cornus officinalis is the medicinal Asian species; ornamental dogwoods (C. florida) are different and not used the same way.

Is it safe in pregnancy?⌄

Insufficient data; generally avoided in pregnancy.

References

Asiatic Dogwood on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link

Research on Asiatic Dogwood (PubMed search) — PubMed link

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Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.