Chebula Myrobalan Fruit (He Zi)

訶子
Chebula fruit (Hezi)

Pharmaceutical Name: Fructus Chebulae

Botanical Name: 1. Terminalia chebula Retz.; 2. Terminalia chebula Retz. var. tomentella Kurt.

Common Name: Terminalia fruit, Chebula fruit

Source of Earliest Record: Yaoxing Lun

Part Used: The ripe fruit is gathered from July to August and dried in the sun.

Natural Properties & Taste: Bitter, sour, astringent and neutral

Meridians: Lung and large intestine

Therapeutic Effects:
1. To astringe the intestines.
2. To astringe the lungs

Indications:
1. Chronic diarrhea, chronic dysentery and prolapsed anus: a) heat syndromeChebula fruit (Hezi) is used with Coptis root (Huanglian) and Costus root (Muxiang) in the formula Hezi San; b) deficiency and cold syndromeChebula fruit (Hezi) is used with Dried ginger (Ganjiang) and Poppy capsule (Yingsuqiao).

2. Cough and asthma due to deficiency in lungs or chronic cough with hoarse voice. Chebula fruit (Hezi) is used with Platycodon root (Jiegeng), Licorice root (Gancao) and Apricot seed (Xingren).

Dosage: 3-10 g (The raw herb is used for hoarse voice, the baked herb for diarrhea.)

Cautions & Contraindications: This herb is contraindicated in cases with exterior syndrome and during accumulation of damp-heat in the interior.