Evidence supporting the use of: Alisma
For the health condition: Urine (scant)
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 3
Alisma (commonly known as water plantain, especially Alisma orientale or Alisma plantago-aquatica) is a herb frequently used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) under the name "Ze Xie." Its use for promoting urination and treating "scant urine" (oliguria) is well-established in TCM practice. Historically, Alisma is considered a "drain dampness" herb, and classical texts such as the "Shennong Bencao Jing" and subsequent materia medica repeatedly mention its ability to support urinary flow and treat conditions associated with water retention, dysuria, and edema.
In TCM, scanty urination is viewed as a manifestation of internal dampness or dysfunction of the kidney and bladder in regulating water metabolism. Alisma is often prescribed—either alone or in herbal formulas such as Wu Ling San—to increase urine output and alleviate symptoms of water retention. Pharmacological studies have identified diuretic activity in Alisma extracts, and there is some preliminary evidence from animal studies supporting a mild diuretic effect. However, robust clinical trials in humans are lacking, and most evidence for its use still derives from traditional usage and case reports rather than modern scientific validation.
In summary, the use of Alisma for scant urine is primarily justified by historical and traditional medical practice, with limited but suggestive pharmacological support.