HomeTraditional Chinese Medicine HerbsTsaoko Amomum Fruit

Tsaoko Amomum Fruit

Name

Tsaoko Amomum Fruit

Latin Pharmaceutical Name

Tsaoko Fructus

Chinese Name

草果

Category

Fruits and seeds

Tsaoko Amomum FruitMore Info

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan.

Macroscopic Features

Oval shape, 2~4.5cm long, 1~2.5cm diameter; externally brown or reddish-brown, with 3 blunt ridges and obvious longitudinal grooves and ridges; apex has round raised style base; base has fruit stem or stem scars; fruit skin is pliable, 3 lobes inside, each has 7~24 seeds; seeds cluster together. Seed is polyhedron, 5~7mm diameter, yellowish-brown or reddish-brown, with grayish-white membranous aril, indented chalaza in the center, round concave hilum on the relatively narrow end of ventral, hilum is an indented longitudinal groove. Aromatic odor; taste acrid and spicy.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material is large, full, reddish-brown, with a potent aroma and taste.

Properties

Acrid; warm.

Functions

Dried dampness, eliminates cold, eliminates phlegm, interrupts malaria, promotes digestion. Apply to malaria, phlegm-fluid retention, abdominal cold pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, indigestion.

Processed Form

Jiang cao guo ren: cao guo without pericarp, taken with appropriate ginger juice and water, stir evenly, fry shortly, take out and dry (every 100 jin of cao guo without pericarp, take 10 jin of frash ginger juice). Promote curing vomiting.

Origin

The dried nature fruit of Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire (Zingiberaceae)

Tsaoko Amomum FruitHerbs in the formula

Spleen-Strengthening Powder

Action：Warms yang and fortifies the spleen, moves qi, and promotes urination.

Indication：Shi Pi San is indicated for a pattern of yin edema caused by spleen-kidney yang deficiency and retention of water-dampness in the interior. The symptoms are swelling of the lower limbs, cold hands and feet, no thirst, fullness and distention of chest and abdomen, loose stool as well. The tongue coating is white and greasy and the pulse is deep, wiry and slow.

View Details Dampclearing formulas

Membrane-Source-Opening Beverage

Action：Opens and vents the membrane-source, dispels filth and removes turbidity.

Indication：Latent pathogen of pestilence or malaria in the pleurodiaphragmatic interspace (membrane-source). Symptoms are aversion to cold with high fever marked by irregular onset such as one or three times per day, chest oppression, headache, vexation and agitation, wiry and rapid pulse, deep red tongue-edge, putrid and greasy tongue coating, or white, thick tongue coating like accumulated powder.

View Details Harmonizing formulas