Flaxseed

Traditional Use

Primary Actions

• Moistens dryness and relaxes the bowels - Ya Ma Zi is classically used for constipation from intestinal dryness, especially when the patient is depleted or dry rather than strongly excess.
• Nourishes blood and softens wind-dry tissue - older use includes dry skin, itching, rough hair, and constitutional dryness that benefits from an oily seed rather than a harsh purgative.
• Moistens the Lung - traditional use extends to dry cough and dryness of the chest or throat when internal lubrication is weak.

Secondary Actions

• Ya Ma Zi is a food-herb bridge more than a dramatic cathartic. It works by lubrication and softening, not by forceful purgation.
• The whole seed, ground meal, oil, and concentrated supplement formats are not interchangeable in strength or modern safety framing.

Classic Formulas

• Ya Ma Zi with Huo Ma Ren and Yu Li Ren - bowel-lubricating pairing logic for dry constipation in older or depleted patients.
• Ya Ma Zi with Dang Gui or Sang Shen - traditional strategy for blood-dry intestinal constipation with dry skin and weakness.
• Ground Ya Ma Zi with oils or washes - older topical use for dry, cracked, or rough skin where emollient seed material is preferred over harsh irritants.

Classical References

• Traditional herbology describes Ya Ma Zi as sweet and neutral, entering the Lung, Liver, and Large Intestine to moisten dryness and relax the bowels.
• Older teaching also credits the seed with nourishing blood and dispelling dryness-related wind, which helps explain its skin and hair references.
• The herb is unsuitable when loose stools or weak digestion are already present because its oily moistening nature can worsen leakage.