This product is the fruit of the deciduous tree plant Chinese Honeylocust Fruit (Gleditsia sinensis Lam.) from the legume family, also known as Chinese Honeylocust Fruit. The flat and elongated ones are called large Chinese Honeylocust Fruit; the small fruits that grow after the plant is injured, curved into a crescent shape, are called Abnormal Chinese Honeylocust Fruit, also known as small Chinese Honeylocust Fruit, both of which are used medicinally. It is mainly produced in Sichuan, Hebei, Shaanxi, Henan, and other regions. The mature fruits are harvested in autumn, dried, sliced (with seeds intact) for raw use, or stir-fried for use.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Acrid and salty, warm. slightly toxic. Act on lung and large intestine meridians.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Eliminating stubborn phlegm, opening orifices and unblocking blockages, dispelling wind and killing worms.

bubble_chart Indications

1. It is used for the syndrome of stubborn phlegm obstructing the lungs, with symptoms of cough, wheezing, and excessive phlegm. This product is pungent and can unblock the airways, and salty, which can soften congealed phlegm. Therefore, for those with cough with dyspnea, frequently spitting thick phlegm, and difficulty lying flat, Chinese Honeylocust Fruit can be ground into powder, made into pills with honey, and taken with jujube soup, known as Jingui Yaolue Chinese Honeylocust Fruit Pill. In modern times, it has been combined with Ephedra and pig gall bladder to make tablets for treating cough, wheezing, and excessive phlegm.
2. It is used for the syndrome of excessive phlegm blocking the orifices. This product is pungent and has a penetrating nature, causing sneezing when inhaled through the nose and vomiting when taken orally, thus it can open blockages and relieve stuffy orifices. Therefore, it can be used for conditions like apoplexy, phlegm syncope, epilepsy, and pharyngitis with excessive phlegm. If combined with Asarum and ground into powder, it can be blown into the nose to induce sneezing, known as Tongguan Powder; or combined with alum and taken with warm water to induce vomiting of phlegm, achieving the effect of resolving phlegm for resuscitation, known as Saliva-Diluting Powder.
3. In addition, it can be made into a paste for external application to treat unruptured sores and swellings, with the effect of dispersing nodules and reducing swelling; ground into powder after soaking in aged vinegar and applied topically to treat skin癣, with the effect of dispelling wind and killing worms to relieve itching. In modern times, it has also been used to treat constipation and mild dynamic intestinal obstruction, using 12 grams of Chinese Honeylocust Fruit, Asarum 12 grams, ground into powder, mixed with honey 120 grams, and made into suppositories while hot, with one suppository inserted into the anus each time.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Benjing: "Mainly treats migratory impediment, dead flesh, pathogenic qi, wind-induced tearing, promotes urination, and benefits the nine orifices."
2. Bencao Gangmu: "Promotes the circulation of swelling and large intestine qi, treats throat pharyngitis obstruction, phlegm panting cough, and wind pestilent qi scabies." "Its taste is pungent and its nature is drying, its qi is floating and dispersing. When blown or guided, it opens the upper and lower orifices; when taken, it treats wind-dampness phlegm panting and swelling, kills worms; when applied, it disperses swelling and detoxifies, searches wind and treats sores."
3. Benjing Fengyuan: "The two types of皂 (soap) have slightly different treatments; for treating wind phlegm,牙皂 (tooth soap) is most effective, while for treating damp phlegm,大皂 (large soap) is superior."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Take 1-1.5g in powder form; it can also be used in decoction, 1.5-5g. Apply an appropriate amount externally.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

The internal dose should not be excessive, as it may cause vomiting and diarrhea. This product has a strong dispersing and moving nature and should not be used lightly except for those with stubborn phlegm pattern and strong constitution. It is contraindicated for pregnant women, those with qi deficiency and yin deficiency, and those with a tendency to bleed.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

This product contains triterpenoid saponins, among other components. Saponins can stimulate the gastric mucosa, reflexively promoting the secretion of respiratory mucus, thereby exerting a phlegm-dispelling effect. The decoction has an excitatory effect on the isolated rat uterus and exhibits inhibitory effects against Trichophyton violaceum and Nocardia asteroides. The large amount of saponins contained in Chinese Honeylocust Fruit not only stimulate the gastrointestinal mucosa, causing vomiting and diarrhea, but also corrode the gastric mucosa, leading to absorption poisoning and even systemic toxicity, causing hemolysis. It particularly affects the central nervous system, initially causing convulsions followed by paralysis, and ultimately death due to respiratory center paralysis.

Chinese Honeylocust Fruit Thorn: The thorn of the Chinese Honeylocust Fruit tree, also known as Chinese Honeylocust Fruit needle. It has a pungent and warm nature. Its functions include reducing swelling, expelling pus, dispelling wind, and killing worms. It is used for initial stages of abscesses and sores, cases where pus has formed but not ruptured, as well as skin ringworm and leprosy. For decoction, use 8-10 grams. For external use, apply an appropriate amount of vinegar decoction to the affected area. It should not be used on ulcers that have already ruptured.