Wiseman’s Chinese Medical Database

guā lóu / 瓜蒌 / 瓜蔞 / trichosanthes [fruit]

Latin pharmacognostic name: Trichosanthis Fructus

Alternate English names:

Alternate Chinese names: 瓜蒌 guā lóu; 栝蒌 guā lóu; 栝楼 guā lóu; 全瓜蒌 quán guā lóu

Origin: Plant

Use: medicinal

Category: Phlegm-transforming cough-relieving panting-calming agents / Phlegm-transforming agents

Properties: Sweet, slightly bitter; cold.

Channel entry: lung, stomach, and large intestine channels.

Indications:

• Clears heat and transforms phlegm: Phlegm-heat cough.
• Loosens the chest and disperses binds: Chest impediment; chest bind.
• Moistens the intestines and frees the stool: Intestinal dryness constipation.
• Additional uses: The whole fruit may be used to treat mammary welling-abscesses with swelling and pain. In this application, it is combined with pú gōng yīng (蒲公英 Taraxaci Herba, dandelion;), rǔ xiāng (乳香 Olibanum , frankincense;), and mò yào (没药 Myrrha , myrrh).
• Guā lóu may also be used for intestinal welling-abscesses and pulmonary welling-abscesses.

Dosage & Method:

Oral: All forms are used in decoctions, and the whole fruit and seeds are often crushed before use. Whole guā lóu: 10–20g. Guā lóu pí: 6–12g. Guā lóu zǐ: 10–15g.

Warning:

Guā lóu traditionally clashes with wū tóu (Aconitum), i.e., chuān wū (Aconiti Radix), cǎo wū (Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix). It should be used with care in spleen vacuity with sloppy stool, as well as in damp phlegm and cold phlegm.

Notes:

瓜蒌皮 is most effective for clearing heat and transforming phlegm and for loosening the chest and dispersing binds. 瓜蒌子 is best for moistening dryness and transforming phlegm and for moistening the intestines to free the stool. 全瓜蒌 combines the actions of the rind and seeds.

Quality:

Large fruits with undamaged, golden yellow pericarps and fat, oily seeds are the best.

Product Area:

Produced mainly in ānhuī, Shāndōng, Hénán, Sìchuān, and less importantly Jiāngsū, Zhèjiāng, Héběi, Shānxī, Shǎnxī (Shaanxi), Fújiàn, and Guǎngdōng.