INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Fructus Trichosanthis |
| Common English: | Trichosanthes Fruit Snakegourd Fruit |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Sweet |
Cold |
Large Intestine Lung Stomach |
9-30g Tincture: 2-5ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Clears Lung Heat and transforms Hot Phlegm |
Phlegm-Heat cough and asthma with thick, difficult-to-expectorate Phlegm It can be used as a stand alone herb, especially for children |
Regulates Qi (unbinds the chest) |
Qi accumulation in the chest with a stifling or distended sensation in the chest, constriction and pain or pressure in the diaphragm |
Reduces abscesses, dissipates nodules and eliminates pus |
Lung, intestinal or breast abscesses |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Concha Meretricis/Cyclinae |
Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii |
Rz. Coptidis |
Cough with thick, yellow sputum and a stifling sensation in the chest due to Phlegm-Heat with constrained, clumping of Qi. As a complete formula for chest pain due to Phlegm and thin mucus. |
Dry cough, and a dry throat with thick, difficult to expectorate sputum due to Wind-Heat. |
Phlegm-Heat accumulating in the chest and epigastrium that is painful when pressed with coughing of thick, yellow sputum. (Xiong Bi due to Phlegm and Heat Accumulation beneath the Heart) |
Bul. Allii Macrostemi |
Pul. Arisaema cum Felle Bovis |
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Painful obstruction of the chest (Chest Bi) due to Cold turbidity stagnating in the Upper Jiao. |
Phlegm-Heat cough. |
Lung abscess marked by irritability, stifling sensation in the chest and coughing up of pus and Blood. |
Flos Lonicerae |
Hb. Taraxaci |
Hb. Taraxaci |
Intestinal abscess where the pus has already formed or patients with Qi and Blood Deficiency. |
Early stages of breast abscess. |
Breast carbuncles. Pulmonary abscess. |
Hb. Taraxaci |
Hb. Houttuyniae |
Sm. Cannabis |
Mastitis. |
Pulmonary abscess with purulent hemoptysis. |
Constipation. |
Olibanum |
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum |
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum |
Activates Qi and Blood to disperse swellings and clumps and treat puerperal breast disorders with accumulation, Stagnation, distention and pain such as insufficient lactation from obstruction or early-stage breast abscess. |
Focal distention in the chest and diaphragm due to clumping of Phlegm and Heat leading to Qi Stagnation. Chest Bi due to clumping of sticky, thick and turbid Phlegm. |
Productive cough with yellow, sticky Phlegm, chest congestion and hard stools due to Heat in the Lung and Large Intestine. |
Rx. Anemarrhenae |
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Productive cough with Phlegm due to Lung Heat. |
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- The earlier texts do not differentiate between this herb (the fruit), the seed Gua Lou Ren, or the husk Gua Lou Pi.
- Fr. Trichosanthis Gua Lou may substitute for Sm. Trichosanthis Gua Lou Ren or Per. Trichosanthis Gua Lou Pi.
- For chest obstruction and subcutaneous swelling or abscess, it is better to use the entire fruit.
- For clearing Heat, resolving Phlegm and moving Qi in the chest, it is best to use the husk Gua Lou Pi.
- For loosening the bowels and relieving constipation, use the seed Gua Lou Ren.
- Its ability to moisten Dryness and move the bowels is most suited for wheezing and constipation associated with Phlegm-Heat accumulating in the Lungs and then obstruction the Large Intestine.
- Its most useful quality is that it descends Phlegm and turbidity.
- It can be used alone for for wheezing due to Phlegm Obstruction in infants.
- This herb has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
- Both Gua Lou and Sm. Sinapis Bai Jie Zi move Qi in the chest, scour Phlegm and treat turbid Phlegm Obstructing the Qi causing pain and a stifling sensation in the chest. Gua Lou is moist , cold and more appropriate for conditions in which Heat and Phlegm have clumped together in the chest. Bai Jie Zi is warm, drying and powerful and is more appropriate for Cold-Phlegm accumulating in the chest.