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Latin pharmacognostic name: Amomi Fructus

Alternate Chinese names: 沙仁 shā rén; 缩砂仁 suō shā rén; 缩砂 suō shā

Kingdom: Plant

Origin in PRC Pharmacopoeia: Amomum villosum Lour.; Amomum xanthioides Wall.; Amomum villosum Lour. var. xanthioides T.L. Wu et Senjen; Amomum longiligulare T.L. Wu. (PRC Pharmacopoeia)

Origin (other sources): Amomum villosum Lour.*; Amomum xanthioides Wall.; Amomum villosum Lour. var. xanthioides T.L. Wu et Senjen*; Amomum longiligulare T.L. Wu*

Use: Medicinal

Category: Aromatic dampness-transforming agents

Properties: Acrid; warm.

Channel entry: Spleen and stomach channels.

Indications:

• Transforms dampness and moves qì: Spleen-stomach qì stagnation with dampness encumbering spleen-earth.
• Warms the center, checks vomiting, and checks diarrhea: Vomiting and diarrhea due to spleen and stomach vacuity cold.
• Quiets the fetus: Pregnancy vomiting due to qì stagnation; stirring fetus.

Dosage & Method: Oral: 5–10g in decoctions; also used in pills and powders. In decoctions, shā rén is lightly crushed beforehand and added at the end of the decoction process.

Warnings: Contraindicated in yīn vacuity with heat.

Product Description: The dried fruit is ovate or elliptical, 1–1.5 cm long, and 0.8–1 cm in diameter. The pericarp is brown, with soft thorns. Within are three chambers, each containing 12–18 seeds formed together in a mass. The seeds are about 5 mm long, and 3 mm in diameter, many-cornered in shape, and brown in color. They are hard and when bitten open, they release aroma and pungent flavor. This fruit is similar in form to 白豆蔻.

Quality: Large plump seeds with with a strong smell are the best. Vietnamese are considered better than Yangchun.

Product Area: Amomum xanthioides (Yangchun amomum): Yángchūn, Yángjiāng, Luódìng, and Pánlóngshān in Guǎngdōng; Dōngjīn and Lóngxīng in Guǎngxī. Amomum villosum (Vietnamese amomum): Vietnam, Thailand.

Etymology: The name shā rén 砂仁, literally gravel kernel, reflects the form of the fruits.

See also: Bái dòu kòu (白豆蔻 Amomi Fructus Rotundus, cardamom)

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