Herba Lycopodii and Pig Trotters: TCM Stew for Joint Health

Introduction to Medicinal Diet

Cluster Lycopodii Herb and Pig Trotters Stew is a traditional Chinese medicinal diet, made by slow-cooking the main ingredients of Herba Lycopodii (common clubmoss), which expels Wind and Dampness and relaxes sinews and activates collaterals, and pig trotters rich in collagen. This medicinal diet has been passed down among the people for a long time, especially favored by the middle-aged, elderly, and manual laborers, and is often used as a daily dietary remedy to assist in regulating issues such as joint stiffness and lumbar and leg soreness. The soup is milky white, the trotters are soft and tender, and the herbal aroma blends with the meat fragrance, preserving the freshness of the ingredients while exerting the regulating effects of the medicinal herbs.

Herba Lycopodii (also known as Shi Song or Guo Shan Long) is the dried whole plant of *Lycopodium japonicum* Thunb. (common clubmoss). It is warm in nature, with a slightly bitter and pungent taste, and enters the Liver, Spleen, and Kidney meridians. Pig trotters are renowned as a “natural collagen reservoir”; they are neutral in nature, sweet in taste, enter the Stomach meridian, and have the actions of enriching the blood and promoting lactation, supplementing the Kidney essence, and strengthening sinews and bones. When combined, the medicinal power and dietary nourishment complement each other, endowing this medicinal dish with unique characteristics in regulating sinews and bones, making it a gentle choice for home healthcare or post‑illness recovery.

Efficacy of Medicinal Diet

The core benefits of Pig’s Trotters Stewed with Common Club Moss (Lycopodium clavatum/Japanese Clubmoss) lie in expelling wind-damp, relaxing sinews and quickening blood, and strengthening sinews and bones. Active constituents such as lycopodine in Common Club Moss promote local blood circulation, alleviate muscle spasms, and directly improve symptoms of bi pain (wind-damp impediment) and limited joint extension and flexion. The collagen and its breakdown products in pig’s trotters help repair articular cartilage, lubricate joint surfaces, and support musculoskeletal and connective tissue health from a nutritional perspective.

From a modern nutritional perspective, this medicinal dish combines both anti-inflammatory and nourishing benefits. The flavonoids in Lycopodium japonicum (club moss) exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, helping to reduce inflammation in the synovial membrane of joints. Meanwhile, the pig trotters provide amino acids such as glycine and arginine, which participate in tissue repair. Therefore, regular consumption of Lycopodium japonicum stewed with pig trotters not only alleviates existing joint discomfort but also helps prevent the onset of degenerative joint conditions, making it especially beneficial for maintaining mobility in middle-aged and older individuals.

The synergistic effect of medicinal diet

The acrid, dispersing, and moving nature of Lycopodium clavatum (Clubmoss) balances the sticky, nourishing nature of pig trotters: the oil and collagen from the pig trotters help dissolve the active constituents of Lycopodium clavatum, while the richness of the trotters restrains its acrid-drying quality, making the entire medicinal food warm but not drying, tonifying but not stagnating, and suitable for long-term regulation.

Functions of Traditional Chinese Medicine

In the theoretical framework of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Liver governs the sinews (tendons and ligaments), and the Kidney governs the bones. The strength and health of the sinews and bones depend on the nourishment from the essence and blood of the Liver and Kidney (Liver and Kidney Essence and Blood). If the Liver and Kidney are insufficient (Liver-Kidney Deficiency), and the bodies is additionally invaded by the three pathogenic factors of Wind, Cold, and Dampness, this can easily lead to obstruction of the meridians and collaterals (Meridian Blockage) and impeded flow of Qi and Blood (Qi and Blood Stagnation), manifesting as joint soreness, numbness, limited range of motion, and other symptoms characteristic of the “Bi pattern” (Obstruction/Impediment Pattern). Lycopodium japonicum (Common Club Moss/伸筋草) enters the Liver meridian (LR) and excels at dispelling Wind and unblocking the collaterals; it also enters the Spleen meridian (SP), where it can transform Dampness and relax the sinews. It is an essential herb for treating conditions of difficult flexion and extension of the sinews and bones, and it is particularly adept at alleviating the sinew and vessel spasms (muscular tension and contracture) seen in Bi patterns.

Pig trotters (pig’s feet), according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), are considered a “blood-and-flesh” substance (xue rou you qing zhi pin) that directly enters the Kidney meridian (KI) to replenish essence and marrow, and enters the Stomach meridian (ST) to generate fluids and moisten dryness. When combined with *Lycopodium japonicum* (club moss, Shen Jin Cao), the nourishing power of pig trotters assists the club moss in more effectively expelling pathogenic factors—a principle known as “supporting the upright (zheng qi) to dispel evil (xie qi).” The entire formula embodies the blending strategy of “dispelling evil without damaging the upright, and tonifying deficiency without retaining evil.” For musculoskeletal disorders presenting a mixture of deficiency and excess—such as a root deficiency of Liver and Kidney (gan shen bu zu) combined with a branch excess of wind-dampness obstructing the collaterals (feng shi zu luo)—this combination achieves a comprehensive regulation by simultaneously attacking the excess and supplementing the deficiency.

Indications

This medicinal food is especially suitable for middle-aged and elderly individuals experiencing joint stiffness, lower back and leg pain due to Wind-Damp or Cold-Damp. Such individuals typically present with symptoms aggravated by cold and relieved by warmth, morning joint stiffness that gradually improves with activity. The wind-dispelling and cold-dispersing action of Lycopodium japonicum (Common Clubmoss) combined with the warming and nourishing effect of pig trotters precisely addresses the pathological characteristics of Cold Bi (寒痹) or Fixed Bi (着痹) patterns. Long-term consumption can effectively reduce symptoms and enhance joint mobility.

It is also suitable for individuals experiencing numbness of the limbs and contracture of the sinews and vessels during the postpartum period or after illness. Postpartum women, due to severe deficiency of qi and blood, suffer from malnourishment of the sinews and vessels, which easily leads to soreness and pain in the joints or cramping of the hands and feet. Those with post-illness debility, because of unrestored healthy qi and impeded flow of the channels and collaterals, often feel fatigue and lassitude in the limbs. Club Moss (Herba Lycopodii) stewed with pig trotters can both tonify qi and blood to nourish the sinews and vessels, and dredge the channels and collaterals to promote recovery. It is an ideal restorative medicinal diet for these individuals.

For individuals who frequently engage in physical labor or athletic training leading to muscle strain and tendinitis, this medicinal food formula also provides effective repair. The collagen in pig trotters synergizes with the sinew-relaxing function of Herba Lycopodii (club moss) to accelerate healing of damaged soft tissues, alleviate post-exercise stiffness and soreness, and support faster recovery.

Contraindicated Populations

Pregnant women must avoid consuming Herba Lycopodii (Japanese clubmoss) stewed with pig trotters. Herba Lycopodii has the property of activating blood and unblocking the meridians, which may stimulate uterine contractions and increase pregnancy risks. Additionally, pig trotters are rich and cloying, and excessive consumption during pregnancy—when digestive function is weakened—can easily lead to epigastric and abdominal distension and fullness. To ensure safety, any medicinal diet containing Herba Lycopodii should be avoided throughout the entire pregnancy.

Patients with a Damp-Heat constitution or Damp-Heat Bi syndrome should avoid consumption. If there is redness, swelling, heat, and pain in the joints, elevated local skin temperature, and a yellow, thick, greasy tongue coating, this is due to Damp-Heat flowing into the joints. Treatment should focus on clearing heat and draining dampness. Common Clubmoss (Lycopodii Herba) is warm in nature, and pig trotters are cloying and greasy. Consuming them may increase heat and dampness, aggravating joint redness, swelling, and general discomfort. Therefore, they should be used only after pattern differentiation.

Patients with hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and acute gout attacks should use with caution. Pork trotters contain high levels of saturated fatty acids and purines; excessive consumption may lead to elevated blood lipids or fluctuations in serum uric acid, potentially triggering an acute gout attack. For those who wish to regulate tendons and bones through herbal dietary therapy, it is recommended to choose Lycopodium japonicum (club moss) paired with low-fat, low-purine ingredients such as lean meat or Coix lacryma-jobi (Job’s tears), and to do so under the guidance of a physician.

Ingredient formula ratio

Main ingredients: Lycopodium clavatum (Club Moss) 15g, fresh pig trotters 500g (about 1 medium-sized pig trotter, cut into pieces).

Auxiliary ingredients: 15 g sliced fresh ginger, 20 g scallion segments, 10 ml cooking wine, 3 g salt, 1800 ml water. The ginger and scallion segments can both remove fishy odor and enhance flavor, and also assist the Lycopodium (Shen Jin Cao) in warming and dispersing cold-dampness. The cooking wine helps to remove the fishy smell from the pig trotters and promotes the dissolution of medicinal effects.

Medicinal material processing tips: Herba Lycopodii (Club Moss) should be used in its dried form. When purchasing, select specimens with thick stems, a bluish-green color, and free from impurities. If fresh Herba Lycopodii is used, the dosage may be adjusted to 30 grams; however, the medicinal property of the fresh herb is slightly weaker, and the cooking time should be appropriately extended. For pig trotters, it is best to choose front trotters, which have thicker skin, more meat, and abundant collagen. After stewing, they offer a better texture and release their medicinal effects more readily.

Preparation Method

First step, pre-treat the pig trotters: Soak the pig trotters in cold water for 30 minutes to remove some of the blood. Then place them in a pot of cold water, add 2 slices of ginger and 5 ml of cooking wine (Shaoxing wine). Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, continue boiling for 3 minutes, then remove. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and drain well. This blanching step effectively removes any gamey odor and reduces impurities in the soup.

Step 2: Soak Lycopodium clavatum (clubmoss): Quickly rinse the Lycopodium clavatum in clean water to remove dust, then place it in a bowl. Add 200 ml of warm water and soak for 20 minutes to soften it, facilitating the release of active constituents later. The soaking water should not be discarded; it can be added to the pot for decoction together.

Third step: Simmer the medicinal stew. Place the blanched pig trotters into a clay pot or stewing bowl. Add the Lycopodium japonicum (Shen Jin Cao) and its soaking water, along with the remaining ginger slices, scallion segments, and 5 ml of cooking wine. Then pour in enough water (approximately 1600 ml) to fully submerge the ingredients and about 3 cm above them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer gently for 2 hours until the pig trotters are tender and can be easily pierced with chopsticks.

Step 4: Season and finish: 5 minutes before turning off the heat, open the lid, add salt to taste, and stir well. Note that salt should not be added too early, otherwise it will cause the protein in the pig trotters to coagulate prematurely, affecting the extraction of gelatin and the texture. After stewing, use a fine mesh strainer to remove the residue of Shen Jin Cao (Lycopodium japonicum, clubmoss herb) as well as the scallion and ginger, retaining only the broth and pig trotter pieces. Serve in a bowl and enjoy while hot.

Administration Tips

1. Frequency and Dosage: It is recommended to consume 3–5 pieces of pig trotters per serving, along with 200–300 ml of the broth, 2–3 times per week. A continuous one-month consumption constitutes one regimen cycle, after which one may observe the body’s response and decide to continue or pause accordingly. Avoid excessive intake or overly frequent consumption, as this may lead to cloying and obstructing the Stomach, resulting in indigestion.

2. Optimal consumption time: It is recommended to consume warm at midday or dinner. On an empty stomach in the morning, gastric acid secretion is elevated, and the gelatinous content of pig trotters may increase stomach burden; consumption before bedtime may easily lead to calorie accumulation. Engaging in moderate physical activity of the limbs one hour after meals can promote medicinal absorption and qi-blood circulation, enhancing the effect of relaxing sinews and activating collaterals.

3. Soup Preservation Method: If a large batch is prepared at once, remove and discard the Shen Jin Cao (Lycopodium japonicum, Club Moss) after prolonged cooking, as its medicinal properties have been extracted and the texture becomes unpalatable. Store the pig trotters and broth separately, allow to cool, then seal and refrigerate. It can be kept for 2–3 days. When reheating, bring to a full boil and, if needed, adjust the flavor by adding a small amount of water and salt. Freezing for extended periods is not recommended, as it may compromise both taste and therapeutic efficacy.

4. Taste Adjustment Recommendations: If the medicinal flavor is too strong, you may add a small piece of corn or a few red dates (jujubes) during decoction to harmonize the taste. The sweetness of corn can neutralize the slight bitterness of Lycopodium japonicum (Japanese Clubmoss), while red dates (jujubes) enhance blood-tonifying effects and make the soup color clearer and more appealing. However, acrid-hot spices such as chili peppers and Sichuan pepper should not be added, to avoid affecting the balanced nature of the medicinal meal.