Bassia scoparia. Kochia scoparia  地 肤 子 Dì fū zǐ   Kochia, Fire bush, Broom Cypress fruit, Summer Cypress   Family: Chenopodiaceae      The botanical name scoparia is latin for "a sweeper", referring to the use of the plant as a broom.
PART USED: Fruit- Good quality is full, round and greyish green.
Nature: Cold    FLAVOR: Sweet, bitter, pleasant  CHANNELS: Bladder
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Diuretic
1. Clears Damp Heat,[1,3,4] and promotes urination.[2]
2. Expel Dampness and stops itching.[2,4] Antifungus.[3]
INDICATIONS- Assistant herb for diuretic.[3]
1. Dysuria due to Damp Heat accumulating in the Bladder; dark, burning and scanty urine.[2,3] Hot Gonnorrhea.[1,3] Damp heat in the external genitals.[2] Hot edema.[3]
2. Damp Skin disorders and any itching of the skin such as eczema and scabies,[1,4] - injestion or topically.[3,4] Damp Heat in the external genitals.[2]
3. Baldness.[1]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Do not use with Sepiida- Cuttlefish bone- Hai piao xiao.[2]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction 6-15 g.[2,3] 3-9g.[1] Usually a suitable amount is boiled in water and the preparation is used for bathing the skin.[1,3] Good quality is full, round and greyish green.
        
Description: Annual herb. Stem height 1.5 meters, extending upward and branching off like a broom, finely grooved, green or light red, frequently changing to red in the fall. Leaves; alternate, linear-lanceolate, apexes acuminate, bases narrowing into petiole-like shape, margins intact, 3 ribbed. Flowers in summer, yellowish green, Ascocarp; flat-globular. Seeds; obovate, flat and palm-brown, seedcoat thin, easily crushed.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research
Preparations of Kochia have shown an inhibiotory effect in vitro against fungi- dermatomycoses.

Anti-cancer effects of Kochia scoparia fruit in human breast cancer cells.
Han HY, Kim H, Son YH, Lee G, Jeong SH, Ryu MH.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
The fruit of Kochia scoparia Scharder is widely used as a medicinal ingredient for the treatment of dysuria and skin diseases in China, Japan and Korea. Especially, K. scoparia had been used for breast masses and chest and flank pain.
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the anti-cancer effect of K. scoparia on breast cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
We investigated the anti-cancer effects of K. scoparia, methanol extract (MEKS) in vitro. We examined the effects of MEKS on the proliferation rate, cell cycle arrest, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and activation of apoptosis-associated proteins in MDA-MB-231, human breast cancer cells.
RESULTS:
MTT assay results demonstrated that MEKS decreased the proliferation rates of MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 36.2 μg/ml. MEKS at 25 μg/ml significantly increased the sub-G1 DNA contents of MDA-MB-231 cells to 44.7%, versus untreated cells. In addition, MEKS induced apoptosis by increasing the levels of apoptosis-associated proteins such as cleaved caspase 3, cleaved caspase 8, cleaved caspase 9 and cleaved Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP).
CONCLUSION:
These results suggest that MEKS inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells and that MEKS may have potential chemotherapeutic value for the treatment of human breast cancer. Pharmacogn Mag. 2014 Aug;10(Suppl 3):S661-7. doi: 10.4103/0973-1296.139812. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


Acaricidal activities of extracts of Kochia scoparia against Tetranychus urticae, Tetranychus cinnabarinus, and Tetranychus viennensis (Acari: Tetranychidae).
Shi GL, Zhao LL, Liu SQ, Cao H, Clarke SR, Sun JH.
Abstract
Extracts of an annual herbaceous plant, Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad (Macrophomina), were bioassayed to determine their acaricidal activities against Tetranychus urticae Koch, Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval), and Tetranychus viennensis Zacher (Acari: Tetranychidae) in the laboratory. Extracts had both contact and systemic toxicity to these mites. Three solvents were tested for preparing crude extracts: petroleum ether, chloroform, and methanol. Methanol was the most effective solvent, extracting 3.11-4.53% of the acaricide. Petroleum ether was the least effective solvent, extracting 1.25-1.54%. However, extracts with chloroform resulted in the highest mite mortality (78.86%), and ultrasound-assisted extraction required the least time (10 min). Concentrated extracts were prepared using chloroform, methyl acetate, or distilled water as a solvent. Mite mortalities from the concentrated extracts by methyl acetate or distilled water were significantly lower than those by chloroform. The mean lethal concentrations (LC50) of the extracts by chloroform, methyl acetate, and distilled water to the mites were 0.71 +/- 0.06, 2.08 +/- 0.16 and 8.75 +/- 0.062 mg/ml, respectively. After liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography, the concentrated extracts by chloroform were separated into seven groups of isolated fractions and tested for acaricidal activity. J Econ Entomol. 2006 Jun;99(3):858-63 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov