1. Alias
Longan, Yuanyan Rou, longan, dried longan.
2. Plant morphology
Evergreen trees. The young branches are covered in rust colored soft fur. Double feather compound leaves, alternate; Leaves 2-5 pairs, usually alternate, leathery, elliptical to ovate lanceolate, apex short pointed or blunt, base oblique, entire margin or wavy, dark green, tender brown, usually pinkish green below. Flowers of both sexes, or coexistence of monosexual and bisexual flowers; A terminal or axillary inflorescence; Small flowers, yellow white, covered in rust colored star shaped soft hairs; Calyx 5 deeply lobed, lobes ovate; Petals 5, spoon shaped, with hairs inside; The stamens are usually 8; Ovary 2-3 chambered, stigma 2-lobed. The drupe is spherical in shape, with a yellow brown outer skin and rough texture. The false seed skin is white and fleshy, with one black brown seed inside. The flowering period is from March to April, and the fruiting period is from July to September.
3. Origin distribution
Suitable for growing in tropical and subtropical climates. Mostly cultivated in hilly areas and gardens. Mainly produced in Fujian, Taiwan and other places.
4. Harvesting and processing
Pick the fruits from July to September when they are ripe, dry or sun dry them, remove the kernels from the meat, and sun dry them until they are dry and non sticky. Alternatively, the harvested fruits can be peeled and pitted, and the flesh dried directly.
5. Characteristics of medicinal herbs
Irregular blocks or cylindrical blocks, often bonded together to form clusters, with a length of 1-1.5 centimeters, a width of 1-4 centimeters, and a thickness of about 1 millimeter. Brown in color, semi transparent, with uneven wrinkles on the outer surface (near the skin) and a shiny inner surface (close to the seed) with fine longitudinal wrinkles. Soft and smooth in texture, with stickiness. It has a slight fragrance and a very sweet taste.
6. Sexual Taste Returning to the Classics
Warm in nature, sweet in taste. Returning to the Heart Meridian and Spleen Meridian.
7. Effect and Function
Nourish the heart and spleen, nourish the blood and calm the mind. It belongs to the subcategory of Qi tonifying drugs under the category of deficiency tonifying drugs.
8. Clinical application
Take 10-15 grams of decoction orally; Or boil ointment; Or soaking in alcohol; Or into pills or powder. Treat palpitations, forgetfulness, diarrhea, edema, etc. caused by heart and spleen deficiency; Insomnia, collapse, and menstrual vertigo caused by insufficient qi and blood; Deficiency of lung yin, loss of lung lubrication, resulting in dry cough, low phlegm, sticky white, hoarse voice, dry mouth and throat. Clinically used for nourishing, inner ear dizziness, digestive system diseases, and coronary heart disease.
9. Pharmacological research
Antibacterial; Calming and stomach health; Anti fatigue. The extract can inhibit MAO-B activity in mouse brain (liver) and has anti-aging effects; The water extract has an inhibitory effect on Trichophyton edodes in vitro; The decoction has an inhibitory effect on Shigella.
10. Chemical composition
Contains 26.91% glucose, tartaric acid, sucrose, fat, acids, choline and other components. It also contains multiple vitamins.
11. Usage taboos
People with phlegm fire and dampness stagnation in the spleen and stomach, indigestion, nausea and vomiting should avoid taking it. Pregnant women, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, should not take longan meat to prevent fetal movement and premature birth. In addition, because of its high glucose content, diabetes patients should not take more.
12. Compatibility prescription
① To treat excessive thinking, fatigue, forgetfulness, and confusion: 30g each of Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos (without wood), Astragalus membranaceus (without reed), Longan flesh, and Ziziphus jujujuba seeds (stir fried without shell), 15g each of ginseng and wood fragrance (without fire), 7.5g licorice (roasted), and mouth opening. Take 12 grams per serving, one and a half cups of water, five slices of ginger, two jujubes, boil for seven minutes, remove impurities and take warm, no matter when. (Ji Sheng Fang Gui Pi Tang)
② Tonifying Qi and Blood: Peel off the longan and place it in a bamboo tube style porcelain bowl. For each piece of meat, add 30 grams and 3 grams of white sugar. For those with a high body heat, add slices of American ginseng, which is equivalent to the amount of sugar. The bowl mouth is covered with a layer of silk and steamed on a rice cooker a hundred times a day. For those who are weak, weak, and prone to slippery conditions without phlegm or fire, taking a spoonful of boiling water can greatly replenish qi and blood, and surpass ginseng and astragalus. Pregnant women give birth, taking it is especially wonderful. (Yuling Cream from the "Suixi Residence Dietary Manual")
③ Treating postpartum edema in women: longan meat, ginger, jujube. Take a decoction together. (Quanzhou Materia Medica)
④ Treating spleen deficiency and diarrhea: fourteen pieces of longan meat and three slices of ginger. Take a decoction together. (Quanzhou Materia Medica)
⊙ The content of the article is for clinical reference only. Non TCM professionals are not allowed to test drugs.