Lygodium

botanical

What is it

Lygodium (Lygodium japonicum, hai jin sha) is a climbing fern. The dried spores are used in traditional Chinese medicine for urinary tract complaints, kidney stones, and edema.

Evidence for 1 use

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

Urinary tract complaints (traditional)

Mixed

Traditional Chinese use for urinary symptoms and kidney stones. Limited modern human evidence.

How it works

The spores contain flavonoids, phenolic acids, and triterpenes. Traditional use focuses on diuretic action and clearing 'damp-heat' in urinary tract conditions. Animal studies suggest mild diuretic effects and possible inhibition of calcium oxalate crystal formation. Human clinical evidence is limited.

Dosage

Traditional decoctions use 6 to 15 grams of dried spores per day in TCM.

When and how to take it

Typically taken in divided doses with water. No specific evidence-based timing.

1 commercial form

Lygodium spore (hai jin sha)

Variable.

Dried spore powder used in TCM herbal preparations.

Safety

Generally well tolerated at traditional doses. Long-term human safety data are limited.

Who should be cautious

Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to lack of safety data.

Interactions

Theoretical interactions with diuretics. No major drug interactions well documented.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lygodium used for?⌄

Traditional Chinese medicine uses it for urinary tract complaints. Modern clinical evidence is limited.

Is it safe?⌄

Traditional use suggests reasonable safety, but modern safety data are limited.

References

  • Lygodium on Wikidata — Wikidata link
  • Lygodium on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link
  • Research on Lygodium (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.