Anticancer and Swelling-Reducing Effects of Jixingzi (Garden Balsam Seeds)

Jixingzi is the seed of Impatiens balsamina of the Balsaminaceae family, also called Fengxianzi or Jinfengxianzi; it is usually used raw or stir-fried. Traditional TCM considers it pungent and slightly bitter, warm in nature, and slightly toxic, entering the Liver and Spleen meridians. It resolves stasis and downbears qi, softens hardness and dissipates nodules. It treats amenorrhea with abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, difficult labor, retained placenta after birth, unresolved postpartum blood stasis, dysphagia (ye ge), abdominal concretions, fish-bone choking, and sores and swellings.

Jixingzi is often used to treat gastric and esophageal cancer, because the ancient TCM disease "ye ge" (dysphagia) was named after its symptoms; patients with ye ge commonly show difficulty swallowing, vomiting upon eating and belching, and a considerable proportion actually have gastric or esophageal cancer. Ancient TCM treated ye ge with Jixingzi alone; for example, the Zhai Yuan Fang records: "For dysphagia with inability to swallow food: steep Impatiens seeds in wine for three nights, dry in the sun and powder, and make wine pills the size of mung beans; take eight pills each time with warm wine; do not take too much."

Contemporary doctors have extended Jixingzi's indications to liver and breast cancer. Modern pharmacological tests also confirm that Jixingzi is sensitive to gastric lymphosarcoma cells and inhibits sarcoma-37. Cancer is a serious disease, so relying on Jixingzi alone is unrealistic; it must be combined according to the patient's symptoms. For esophageal cancer, Jixingzi may be used with Weilingxian, Shijianchuan, Banzhilian, Bingpian, Naosha and Pengsha; for gastric cancer, with Daizheshi, Xuanfuhua, Haifushi, Walengzi, Baiji and Huaruishi; for liver cancer, with Shuihonghuazi, Biejia, Chaihu, Baishao, Sanleng and Ezhu; for breast cancer, with Shancigu, Loulu and Gualou.

Jixingzi is somewhat toxic. In antiquity, bone splinters stuck in the throat were treated by chewing Jixingzi or Impatiens root and slowly swallowing; ancients believed Jixing softened various bones caught in the throat, being most effective against chicken bone. But Jixingzi also corrodes healthy teeth, so after chewing it or Impatiens root, one should quickly rinse the mouth with water and spit out the residue to protect the teeth. Ancient cooks often put a few Jixingzi into the pot when stewing meat, so that bones and meat easily softened; hence ancients considered Jixingzi to penetrate bone and open the orifices.

Applied externally, Jixingzi also softens hardness and dissipates nodules. The Bencao Zhengyi records of Jixingzi: "It treats hard lumps of external sores, aching swelling and numbness, and large yin-type lesions. Grind to powder, boil into a paste and apply to the affected area; it strongly softens hardness and reduces swelling." The Minnan Minjian Caoyao records another external use: "For unilateral or bilateral tonsillitis (red swollen throat and epiglottis): grind white Impatiens seeds to powder, blow the powder into the throat through a paper tube, hold it in the closed mouth, two or three times a day."

In addition, Jixingzi has antibacterial, anti-allergic and anti-fertility effects; in antiquity it was also used as an abortifacient and oxytocic, so pregnant women should use it cautiously. Folk medicine also uses Jixingzi for traumatic injuries; the Mindong Bencao records treating "traumatic injury with scrotum pain retracted into the abdomen" with "Jixingzi and Chenxiang each 1.5 g, ground to powder and taken with hot water."

Besides the seeds, the flowers, leaves, stems and roots of Impatiens balsamina are also medicinal. In the south, the whole herb is often used as Tougucao; fresh whole Impatiens herb pounded treats many orthopedic conditions. It has been reported that Impatiens whole herb treated over a thousand cases of cervical spondylosis: the fresh herb was pounded for use, or the dried herb was dried, ground to powder and mixed with 30% wine and 30% vinegar to apply to the affected area, each application lasting 4 hours to a full day, with one course every 10 days; after two courses the clinical symptoms generally disappeared, with no adverse reactions.

Impatiens flowers also have an anti-allergic effect and help prevent and treat the itching of atopic dermatitis; they are decocted for oral use at 1.5-3 g, increased to 6-9 g for the fresh herb. TCM considers Impatiens flowers to expel wind-dampness, activate blood and stop pain, and resolve toxin and kill parasites. The leaves are mainly used externally, pounded and applied or decocted for washing, to treat wind-type pain and foot edema.

The root of Impatiens balsamina acts much like Jixingzi. TCM considers it to activate blood and stop pain, and leach dampness to reduce swelling; it treats traumatic swelling and pain, rheumatic bone pain, vaginal discharge and edema. Its effect on bone splinters is comparable to Jixingzi, with similar usage. The Bencao Gangmu records Impatiens root: "It treats chicken- and fish-bone splinters, accidental swallowing of copper and iron, and swelling and pain from beating. It disperses blood, unblocks the channels, softens hardness and penetrates bone." The Quanzhou Bencao records a folk dietary therapy for edema: "Take 4-5 fresh roots each time, stew with pork and eat; effect after 3-4 times." The Jiangxi Caoyao records Impatiens root for vaginal discharge: "Impatiens root 30 g, cuttlefish 30 g, decoct in water, once daily." This shows that Impatiens root leaches dampness, reduces swelling and stops discharge.