This strain is made from the fruit of sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem.), an annual climbing herbaceous plant of the bottle gourd peel family, which is processed into Luffa Vegetable Sponge. First recorded in Bencao Gangmu: "Sponge gourd, sown in February, will lead to seedlings, spread trees and bamboos, or make scaffolding. ...Before Tang Zong Unknown. It originated from the south, so it is called barbarian melon. It is found in both north and south. "If you pick it too early, the Luffa Vegetable Sponge will have poor elasticity. If you pick it too late, the color will be old and yellow." The best picking time is when the melon seeds are eight ripe and white. They are picked in batches, and then dried after removing the stems, breaking the skins, soaking in water, washing, hanging in the sun, removing seeds, etc. The melons are preferred if they have fine tendons, are slightly hard and elastic, are white and skinless, have no rotten flesh, have a complete melon shape, are straight and long.

dredging meridians and activating collaterals, clearing heat and resolving phlegm.

[Indications]

Chest and rib pain, abdominal pain, lumpago, testicular swelling and pain, lung heat, phlegm and cough, amenorrhea, agalactia, pain and swelling in women, hemorrhoids and fistula disease.

[Usage and Dosage]

Decoct and take, 6~10g. Large doses are available up to 60g.

[Modern Pharmacology]

Rich in xylan (Xy-lan) and cellulose, and may also contain mannan (mannan), galactan (galactan) and lignin.

[Supplementary Medication]

Sponge gourd: an annual climbing herbaceous plant of the bottle gourd peel family, sweet in nature and bitter in taste. Sponge gourd is medium mucus and rich in citrulline, wood gum, alkaloids, sugars, and vitamins B and C.