MENBRILLO- Fructus Chaenomelis (Mu Gua)

English Name Common Floweringqince Fruit Chinese Name

DESCRIPTION Mostly in longitudinally oblong halves, 4-9 cm long, 2-5 cm wide, 1-2.5 cm thick. Externally purplish-red or reddishbrown, with irregular, deep wrinkles; edge of cut surface rolled inwards, pulp reddish-brown, central part dented, brownish-yellow. Seed long-triangular, mostly falling off. Texture hard. Odour, slightly aromatic; taste, sour. ACTION To subdue liver-qi and lessen contracture, regulate stomach function, and dispel damp.

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Origin Common Floweringqince Fruit is the dried nearly ripe fruit of chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai (Fam. Rosaceae). Nature and Affinity It is sour in taste, warm in nature, and distributed to the Liver and Spleen Channels.

INDICATIONS Arthritis with ankylosis, aching and heaviness sensation of the loins and knees; systremma due to vomiting and diarrhea; edema and weakness of the legs. REFERENTIAL ADVICE 1. Relieving rigidity of muscles and activating collaterals It is often used in treating wet beriberi syndrome due to dampness, marked by swelling of the ankle joints, lumbar soreness and aching kness, swollen joints, contracture of tendons and weakness of lower limbs. To treat beriberi due to cold-dampness, it is often used with Folium Perillae, Fructus Evodiae, Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens, etc.; to treat beriberi due to damp heat, with Cortex Phellodendri, Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae, Herba Dendrobii, etc.; to treat lumbar soreness and aching knees, with Radix Dipsaci, Cortex Eucommiae, etc. 2. Resolving dampness and regulating the stomach To treat syndrome due to summer-heat in the summer season, and irregular food taking, characterized by vomitting, diarrhea like cholera, even with painful legs accompanied with cntracture of muscles and tendons, it is often used either with Herba Agastachis, Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis, Rhizoma Pinelliae, etc. or with Fructus Euodiae, Caulis Perillae, etc. Sine the drug can produce the effects of resolving dampness and removing the accumulation of damp evil with its warm nature, and soothing muscles and tendons to treat contracture and pain limbs, the drug can be used in treating wet beriberi, and various kinds of contracture of muscles and tendons or painful legs.

Besides, it can be used in treating indigestion and relieving thirst since it with its sour taste has the effects of regulating middle Jiao, resolving dampness and promoting the production of body fluid.

TIPS Especially effective antispasmodic for cramps in the calves.

Pharmaceutical Name Fructus chaenomelis Botanical Name Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai Common Name Chaenomeles fruit, Flowering quince fruit, Chinese quince Source of Earliest Record Mingyi Bielu Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations The fruit is gathered in summer or autumn when it is ripe. Then it is halved, soaked in hot water, dried in the sun and cut into slices. Properties & Taste Sour and warm Meridians Liver and spleen Functions 1. To promote blood circulation in the channels and collaterals; 2. To relax muscles and tendons; 3. To transform dampness and harmonize the stomach Indications & Combinations 1. Convulsions and spasms. Chaenomeles fruit (Mugua) is used with Frankincense (Ruxiang) and Myrrh (Moyao) in the formula Mugua Jian.

2. Painful and swollen legs with irritability. Chaenomeles fruit (Mugua) is used with Evodia fruit (Wuzhuyu) and Areca seed (Binglang) in the formula Jiming San. 3. Wind-damp obstruction syndrome manifested as rheumatic pain, numbness of limbs and joint pain. Chaenomeles fruit (Mugua) is used with Tetrandra root (Fangji), Clematis root (Weilingxian) and Chinese angelica root (Danggui). Dosage 6-12 g