1. Alias
Grass nuts, grass fruit, and old cardamom.
2. Plant morphology
Perennial herb. Clustered, 2-3 meters high. The rhizome runs horizontally, the stem is cylindrical, thick, upright or slightly inclined, the leaves are arranged in two rows, the leaves are long elliptical or needle shaped oblong, both sides of the leaves are smooth and hairless, the leaf sheath is open, the stem is wrapped, light green, sparsely furred, the tip of the leaf tongue is round, rusty brown, sparsely furred, and the petiole is short or almost sessile. Spike shaped inflorescence, with 5-30 flowers per inflorescence, bracts oblong to ovate, blunt apex, light orange, calyx tube shaped, top 3-lobed, corolla white, corolla tube equal or slightly shorter than calyx tube, lobes 3, equal, lips oblong ovate, purple red stripes on both sides of the midrib, edges wrinkled, 4 degenerated stamens, 2 outer rings petal shaped, 2 inner rings combined to form lips; Develop one stamen, erect anthers, and elongated septate appendages. The capsule is oblong or ovoid in shape, with a persistent stem residue at the top and a rectangular cylindrical protrusion. Seed cone-shaped polyhedron, reddish brown, covered with gray white membranous pseudocoat. The flowering period is from April to May, and the fruiting period is from June to September.
3. Origin distribution
Wild in sparse forests on slopes, under forests, or on both sides of valleys, currently cultivated. Distributed in Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou and other places.
4. Harvesting and processing
Harvest fruits in autumn when they are ripe, remove impurities, and dry them in the sun or at low temperatures.
5. Characteristics of medicinal herbs
Long elliptical, with three blunt edges, 2-4 centimeters long and 1-2.5 centimeters in diameter. The surface is gray brown to reddish brown, with longitudinal grooves and ridges, a circular raised column base at the top, and fruit stalks or stem marks at the base. The fruit cortex is tough and easy to tear longitudinally. Peel off the outer layer, with a yellow brown membrane in the middle, and divide the seed cluster into 3 petals, each petal containing 8-11 seeds. The seeds are cone-shaped polyhedra with a diameter of about 5 millimeters; The surface is reddish brown, covered by a gray white membranous false seed coat, with a longitudinal groove on the seed ridge and a concave navel at the tip; Hard in texture, with gray white endosperm. Has a unique aroma, with a spicy and slightly bitter taste.
6. Sexual Taste Returning to the Classics
Warm in nature, pungent in taste. Returning to the Spleen Meridian and Stomach Meridian.
7. Effect and Function
Dry and humid, warm and moderate, remove phlegm and intercept malaria. It belongs to the category of dampness dispelling medicine.
8. Clinical application
Take 3-6 grams of decoction orally. Used to treat cold and dampness resistance, abdominal distension and pain, fullness and vomiting, malaria, cold and heat.
9. Pharmacological research
The inhibitory effect of adrenaline on ileal activity; Has analgesic effect; It has functions such as cough suppressant, expectorant, and antibacterial.
10. Chemical composition
Containing volatile oils, the oil contains α - pinene and β - pinene, 1,8-eucalyptol, p-cymene, trans-S-enal, α - terpineol, orange blossom aldehyde-a, orange blossom aldehyde-b, geraniol, geraniol, apple cider ketone, orange blossom tertiary alcohol, nonanal, decanal, linalool, camphor, etc. It still contains starch and oil.
11. Usage taboos
Those with yin deficiency and low blood are prohibited from taking it.
12. Compatibility prescription
① Treatment for spleen and stomach deficiency and cold, nausea and vomiting: 4.5 grams of grass fruit, 6 grams of cooked aconite and ginger each, and 12 grams of jujube meat. Boil it in water. (National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicines)
② Treat gastrointestinal heat and cold disharmony, diarrhea caused by red and white diarrhea, and diarrhea caused by excessive heat. Treat with dirty and toxic stool and blood: equal parts of grass fruit, licorice, ground elm (stir fried), and tangerine peel (remove pulp and stir fry with bran). Above is coarse powder. Take 6 grams per serving, use one and a half cups of water, simmer a piece of ginger and crush it, fry it together for seven minutes, remove the dregs and take it at any time. ("Applicable Formula for Transmitting Messages" Grass Fruit Drink)
③ Relieve heat, relieve irritability and thirst, dispel heat and toxins, and stop vomiting and dysentery: 120g of grass fruit, 90g of black plum meat, and 75g of licorice. Take 15 grams per serving, one bowl of water, ten slices of ginger, and fry until 80%. Immerse in hot water, whether warm or cold. (Women's Prescriptions: Shrinking Spleen Drink)
④ To treat symptoms such as heatstroke, thirst, cholera, abdominal pain, restlessness, and slight or absent pulse: 90 grams of grass fruit, 30 grams of aconite and tangerine peel, and 15 grams of licorice. Take 30g each time, fry in water, and add ginger for cold consumption. (Cold Fragrance Drink from "Chishui Xuanzhu")
⊙ The content of the article is for clinical reference only. Non TCM professionals are not allowed to test drugs.