bubble_chart Source

This product is the mature seed of the arbor plant Croton Fruit (Croton tiglium L.) from the Peking Euphorbia Root family. It is mainly produced in Sichuan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, and other provinces. The fruit is harvested in autumn when it is mature but has not yet split, then dried, the shell is broken open, and the seeds are extracted. The kernel is used or processed into frost. The kernel of Croton Fruit is prepared by soaking the Croton Fruit in rice water, exposing it to sunlight or baking it until it cracks, removing the skin, and obtaining the clean kernel, which is then stir-fried until it turns brown. Croton Fruit frost is made by taking the clean kernel of Croton Fruit, crushing it, wrapping it in multiple layers of oil-absorbing paper, heating it slightly, pressing it to remove the oil, and then grinding it finely and sieving it.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Acrid, hot, extremely toxic. Act on stomach, large intestine and lung meridians.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Drastic purgation to eliminate cold accumulation, expel water to reduce swelling, dispel phlegm to benefit the throat, and treat sores.

bubble_chart Indications

1. Used for cold accumulation constipation emergencies. Croton Fruit is pungent and hot, capable of drastic purgation of cold accumulation, opening intestinal obstruction. Zhang Yuan-su metaphorically described it as having the "power to break through gates and seize doors." It is suitable for cold evil food accumulation, obstruction of the intestines, constipation, abdominal distension and fullness distending pain, sudden onset of illness, and those with undiminished qi and blood. It can be used alone by taking Croton Fruit frost in capsules, or combined with Rhubarb Rhizoma, Dried Ginger to make pills, such as Three-Ingredient Emergency Pill.
2. Used for ascites distension. This product has a strong drastic purgation effect to expel water and reduce swelling. For the above conditions, Croton Fruit and Bitter Apricot Seed can be roasted yellow and taken as pills. In modern times, this product is combined with red alum and Medicated Leaven to make pills, known as Han Ba Jiang Fan Wan, used to treat advanced schistosomiasis liver cirrhosis ascites.
3. Used for cold solid thoracic accumulation and pharyngitis phlegm obstruction. This product can dispel phlegm to benefit the throat and facilitate breathing. For phlegm congestion, chest and diaphragm tightness, and cold sweating due to cold solid thoracic accumulation, it is often used with Fritillaria Bulb and Platycodon Root, such as Three-Ingredient White Powder; for pharyngitis phlegm congestion obstructing the airway, difficulty breathing, or even near suffocation, Croton Fruit can be used alone, peeled, threaded, and inserted into the throat, pulled out to revive; in modern times, it is used for diphtheria and laryngitis causing laryngeal obstruction, by blowing Croton Fruit frost into the throat to induce vomiting, expel phlegm, and relieve obstruction symptoms. Additionally, for children with phlegm congestion, milk and food stagnation, or even palpitation due to fright, this product can be used to dispel phlegm and eliminate stagnation, often combined with Bile Arisaema, Cinnabar, medicated leaven, etc., such as Wan Ying Bao Chi San.
4. Used for abscesses with pus not yet ruptured and scabies and malignant sores. This product has the effect of eroding rotten flesh and treating sore toxins when applied externally. For abscesses with pus not yet ruptured, it is often used with frankincense, myrrh, cochinchina momordica seed, castor bean, applied externally to the affected area to erode the skin and promote rupture and pus expulsion; for malignant sores, this product can be fried in oil, and the oil mixed with Realgar, calomel powder, applied to the sore surface.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Benjing: "Breaks stuffiness, abdominal mass, hard accumulations, persistent fluid retention, phlegm aggregation, large ascites swelling, cleanses the five zang-organs and six fu-organs, opens blockages, benefits the water and grain passages, and removes necrotic flesh."
2. Bencao Tongxuan: "Croton Fruit possesses a vigorous and fierce nature, with the ability to break through barriers and seize gates. For those with strong qi and blood and solid accumulations of pathogenic factors, it truly has miraculous effects. However, for the elderly and weak, rashly administering it can lead to immediate disaster. Croton Fruit and Rhubarb Rhizoma are both purgatives, but Rhubarb Rhizoma is cold in nature and is suitable for heat-related fu-organ diseases; Croton Fruit is hot in nature and is suitable for cold-related zang-organ diseases. Therefore, Zhongjing often used Rhubarb Rhizoma to treat aversion to heat in cold-damage diseases that have transmitted to the interior. Dongyuan often used Croton Fruit to treat five accumulations related to the zang organs."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Take orally in powder or pill form, 0.1-0.3g each time, mostly used as Croton Fruit frost. Apply externally as needed.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

Pregnant women and those with weak constitutions should avoid use. Incompatible with lobedleaf pharbitis seed.

bubble_chart Processing and Storage

Before use, the core and membrane must be removed. If the membrane is not removed, it can harm the stomach, and if the core is not removed, it can cause nausea. Raw Croton Fruit is highly toxic; external application can cause blisters. The croton oil contained in it reacts with the alkaline intestinal fluid in the intestines, releasing crotonic acid, which can cause severe diarrhea and enteritis. To reduce its toxicity and mitigate its side effects, it needs to be crystallized or powdered for medicinal use.

Preparation of Croton Fruit Frost: Take clean Croton Fruit kernels, crush them, wrap them in multiple layers of oil-absorbing paper, heat them slightly, press to remove most of the oil, grind finely, and sieve. Croton Fruit kernels contain 53-57% croton oil. After being made into frost, the croton oil content should be around 10%. Although the toxicity of Croton Fruit Frost is reduced, it is still a highly toxic substance and must be used with caution.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

This product contains Croton Fruit oil, 34% to 57%, which includes Croton Fruit oleic acid and glycerides. The oil also contains Croton Fruit diol diesters and various Croton Fruit triol triesters. Additionally, it contains Croton Fruit toxin, Croton Fruit glycosides, alkaloids, β-sitosterol, etc. When applied externally, Croton Fruit oil has a strong irritant effect on the skin. Oral ingestion of half a drop to one drop can cause a burning sensation in the mouth and gastric mucosa, vomiting, and in a short period, multiple episodes of profuse watery diarrhea accompanied by severe abdominal pain and tenesmus. Croton Fruit decoction has varying degrees of inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus, diphtheria bacillus, influenza bacillus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Croton Fruit extract shows significant inhibitory effects on mouse sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma. Croton Fruit oil, Croton Fruit resin, and Croton Fruit alcohol esters exhibit weak carcinogenic activity.