This product is the seed of the plant Cucumis melo (Cucumis melo L.) from the bottle gourd peel family. It is collected when the fruit ripens in summer and autumn, impurities are removed, it is washed clean, and then dried in the sun. It is crushed before use. It is cultivated throughout China.

bubble_chart Morphological Characteristics

An annual trailing herb, the entire plant is covered with coarse hairs, and the branches have stripes or ridges. The leaves are round-ovate or nearly kidney-shaped, with a heart-shaped base, 8-15 cm in length and width, shallowly lobed 3-7 times, with slightly wavy serrated edges, and both surfaces are covered with long hairs or are rough; the petioles are as long as the leaves and are covered with bristles. Male flowers are clustered, while female flowers are solitary; the calyx is narrowly bell-shaped, slightly grooved, initially downy, becoming smooth later. The fruit is dark green, light green, or yellow in color, with green, yellow, or white flesh. It has a sweet and fragrant taste. There are numerous seeds. The flowering and fruiting period is from July to August.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Cold, sweet.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Disperse stagnation, eliminate stasis, clear the lungs, and moisten the intestines.

bubble_chart Indications

Used for abdominal masses, lung heat cough.

bubble_chart Modern Application

Lung abscess, appendicitis, etc.

bubble_chart Supplementary Medicinals

The fruit stem and pedicel of the muskmelon are also used in medicine, known as muskmelon base, which can induce vomiting, eliminate dampness, and reduce jaundice.