Gua Lou Ren - (Gua Lou Zi) - 栝蔞仁 - Semen Trichosanthis
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Semen Trichosanthis |
| Common English: | Snakegourd Seed Trichosanthis Seed / Trichosanthes seed |
Category
Herbs that Transform Phlegm and Stop Coughing: Herbs that Cool and Transform Phlegm-HeatProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sweet (Bitter) (Sour) (Acrid) | Cold (Cool) (Neutral) | Lung Stomach Large Intestine | 2-18g Tincture: 2-5ml |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Clears Heat and transforms Hot Phlegm (cools and moistens the Lungs) | Phlegm-Heat cough (especially with thick, difficult to expectorate sputum) |
Expands the chest | Phlegm accumulation in the chest with a stifling sensation, pain, or diaphragmatic pressure |
Moistens the Intestines and promotes bowel movements | Dry constipation (especially with Lung/Large Intestine Heat)(dry mouth, thirst, irritability) |
Promotes healing of sores (dissipates nodules and eliminates pus) | Adjunctively for unsuppurated sores, breast abscess and swelling |
Promotes urination | Edema |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum | Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum | Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum |
Cough with chest pain and difficult to expectorate sputum. | Cough with chest pain and difficult to expectorate sputum with extreme Heat. | Painful obstruction of the chest or Heart. |
| Sm. Cannabis | Rx. Angelicae Sinensis | Hb. Houttuyniae Yu Xing Cao Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng |
Constipation due internal obstruction of Phlegm Heat with dry mouth and thirst. Wasting and thirsting disorder. | Moistens the bowels. | Lung abscess. |
| Sp. Gleditsiae | Hb. Taraxaci | Rx. Scutellariae |
Breast abscess. | Intestinal abscess. | Heat and Phlegm Accumulation with copious yellow sputum, chest oppression and constipation. |
Sm. Cannabis | Rx. Glycyrrhizae | Flos Lonicerae |
Constipation. | Productive cough with sputum and Blood and feelings of congestion and oppression in the chest. | Intestinal abscess with Deficiencies of Qi and Blood. |
Notes
- Early texts make no distinction between this herb (the fruit), the seed Gua Lou and the husk Gua Lou Pi.
- Both cooling and moistening, it treats cough with chest pain and thick sputum that is hard to expectorate.
- This herb, Sm. Persicae Tao Ren and Sm. Cannabis Huo Ma Ren all treat dry constipation. Sm. Persicae Tao Ren addresses constipation from Blood Stasis and Heat, this herb addresses constipation from Lung Heat with thirst, and Sm. Cannabis Huo Ma Ren addresses constipation from severe, prominent Heat.
- It appears frequently in formulas for Lung Heat, particularly when Yin Deficiency is present.
- It has an unusual combination of sweet, bitter and sour tastes.
- Dry-fried Trichosanthis Seeds Chao Gua Lou Ren are the standard form, because the raw seeds can elicit nausea and vomiting.
- Defatted Trichosanthis Seeds Lou Ren Schuang moisten the Intestines less and are used for cough and Phlegm in patients with Spleen Deficiency.
From Class
- Trichosanthes seed (Gua Lou Ren) & phlegm via the colon: Gua Lou seed moistens stool so phlegm leaves via the colon; Chen Pi regulates qi upward, Zhi Shi purges downward, Fu Ling strengthens Spleen. (Yuen)