This product is the mature seed of the deciduous tree plant Prunus armeniaca L. var. ansu Maxim., Siberian apricot (P. sibirica L.), Manchurian apricot (P. mandshurica), or apricot (P. armewdeca L.) of the Rosaceae family. It is mainly produced in Northeast China, Inner Mongolia, North China, Northwest China, Xinjiang, and the Yangtze River Basin. The mature fruits are harvested in season, the flesh and shell are removed, and then dried for raw use.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Bitter, slightly warm, slightly toxic. act on lung and large intestine channels.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Relieves cough and asthma, moistens the intestines to alleviate constipation.

bubble_chart Indications

1. Used for cough and panting. This product mainly enters the lung meridian. Its bitter taste can descend, and it also has the property of dredging and opening, thus descending lung qi while also ventilating the lung to achieve the effect of relieving cough and panting, making it an essential medicine for treating cough and panting. Depending on the syndrome, it can be used in various combinations of medicinals for different types of wheezing syndromes. For wind-cold cough and panting, it is combined with Ephedra and Liquorice Root to disperse wind-cold, ventilate the lung, and relieve panting, as in Three-Unconventional Decoction; for wind-heat cough, it is combined with Mulberry Leaf and Chrysanthemum Flower to disperse wind-heat, ventilate the lung, and relieve cough, as in Mulberry Leaf and Chrysanthemum Decoction; for dryness-heat cough, it is combined with Mulberry Leaf, Fritillaria Bulb, and Coastal Glehnia Root to relieve dryness, moisten the lung, and stop cough, as in Mulberry Leaf and Apricot Kernel Decoction; for lung heat cough and panting, it is combined with Gypsum and others to clear lung heat, ventilate the lung, and relieve panting, as in Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang.
2. Used for intestinal dryness and constipation. This product contains oily substances and is moist in nature, with a bitter taste that lowers qi, thus it can moisten the intestines to relieve constipation. It is often combined with Platycladi Seed and Bush Cherry Seed, as in Shiyi Dexiao FangFive-Kernel Pill

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Benjing: "Mainly treats cough with dyspnea, thunder-like sounds, and pharyngitis."
2. Changsha Yaojie: "Bitter Apricot Seed has the effect of dredging and opening, breaking stagnation and descending counterflow, excelling in relieving obstruction and stopping wheezing... It is unparalleled in regulating the stagnation of the qi aspect."
3. Bencao Biandu: "Its function is specifically to descend qi; when qi descends, phlegm dissipates and cough stops. It can moisten the large intestine, hence it is useful for constipation due to large intestine qi stagnation."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Decoct 3-10g, it is advisable to crush before decocting.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

This product has slight toxicity and should not be used in excessive amounts. It should be used with caution in infants. Overdose in adults may be fatal.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

This product contains bitter apricot seed glycosides, fatty oils, proteins, and various free amino acids.

• After decomposition, bitter apricot seed glycosides produce a small amount of hydrogen cyanide, which can grade I inhibit the respiratory center, thereby exerting antitussive and antiasthmatic effects.
• Rabbit experiments have shown that bitter apricot seed can promote the synthesis of pulmonary surfactant in normal animals and improve lesions in oleic acid-induced respiratory distress syndrome, suggesting its potential clinical application in conditions such as respiratory distress syndrome.
• Bitter apricot seed oil has inhibitory effects on roundworms, hookworms, and cold-damage disease bacilli, as well as a lubricating laxative effect.
• Overdose can lead to poisoning, and ingestion of 55 seeds (approximately 60g) may be fatal in adults. Since bitter apricot seed is easily decomposed into hydrogen cyanide in the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration, its toxicity is greater than that of intravenous injection.

bubble_chart Supplementary Medicinals

Sweet almond: The mature seeds of certain cultivated varieties of the Rosaceae family's apricot or mountain apricot, which have a sweet taste. It has a sweet and neutral nature, with the function of moistening the lung and relieving cough. It is mainly used for cough due to deficiency fatigue. Decoction, 5-10g.