Sterculia lychnophora

  Introduction to Pangdahai

Sterculia lychnophora Hance (Scientific name: SEMEN STERCULIAE LYCHNOPHORAE ), also known as : sea, sea seeds, big hole fruit, big hair, is the dried mature seeds of Sterculia lychnophora Hance, a plant of the Sterculaceae family.

It is spindle-shaped or oval, 2-3cm long and 1-1.5cm in diameter. The tip is blunt and the base is slightly pointed and crooked, with a light-colored round hilum. The surface is brown or dark brown, slightly shiny, and has irregular shrinkage wrinkles. The outer pericarp is very thin, brittle, and easy to fall off. The middle pericarp is thicker, dark brown, loose and fragile, and swells into a spongy state when exposed to water. Scattered resinous dots can be seen on the cross section. The inner pericarp can be peeled off from the middle pericarp, slightly leathery, with 2 thick endosperms inside, broadly ovate; 2 cotyledons, thin, close to the inner side of the endosperm, and the same size as the endosperm. It has a slight odor and a light taste, and is sticky when chewed.

Produced in Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and other countries.

When the fruit matures and cracks in April to June, the seeds are collected and dried. They are often used to make tea, which can lower blood pressure, moisten the throat and reduce phlegm.

Functions and effects of Pangdahai

1. For pharyngeal diseases

Sore throat is mostly caused by heat and toxins in the throat or excessive heat in the lungs. The treatment should focus on clearing heat and toxins in the throat and clearing heat in the lungs. Sterculia lychnophora is cold in nature and acts on the lung meridian. It is good at clearing the throat and clearing heat in the lungs, so it is very suitable for treating sore throat. Whether it is used alone to make tea or combined with other Chinese medicines that clear heat and detoxify and relieve sore throat, it is very effective. Sterculia lychnophora can not only clear the throat, but also is good at relieving sore throat and opening the voice. It is used to treat hoarseness and even aphonia, and is effective whether it is acute or chronic.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the sound of the throat is mainly regulated by the lungs. If the lung qi is sufficient, the lung yin is moist, and the lung's function of dispersing and releasing is normal, the voice will be loud, the sound quality will be crisp and moist, and the pronunciation will be long-lasting.

On the contrary, whether it is external evil invading the lungs, lung qi stagnation, or insufficient lung qi or lung yin deficiency, the throat is not nourished, which will lead to throat voice disorders, ranging from hoarseness to aphonia. Sterculia lychnophora is sweet and cold in nature, can moisten the lungs, relieve throat and open the voice. No matter what causes hoarseness and aphonia, it can be treated with other drugs. For example, it can be used with licorice to treat sore throat, with cicada shells to treat aphonia caused by stagnation of lung qi, with astragalus and codonopsis to treat hoarseness and aphonia caused by insufficient lung qi, and with ophiopogon and Scrophularia to treat hoarseness and aphonia caused by insufficient lung yin.

2. Used for cough caused by lung heat and dryness

Cough and sputum caused by wind-heat invading the lungs or pathogenic heat blocking the lungs. The sputum is yellow and sticky.

Dryness harming the lungs, lung failure to moisten and descend, or insufficient lung yin can cause dry cough with little or no sputum. Sterculia lychnophora can both clear lung heat and moisten lung dryness, so it can be used to treat cough caused by lung heat or lung dryness. However, this effect of Sterculia lychnophora is not significant, and it must be combined with other medicines, such as lung-clearing and cough-relieving medicines such as Scutellaria baicalensis, Houttuynia cordata, and Phragmites australis, to treat cough caused by lung heat.

; Combined with Radix Trichosanthis, Radix Ophiopogonis, loquat leaves, etc., it is used for dry cough.

3. Used for dry stool

Sterculia lychnophora is a cold product, and it belongs to the large intestine meridian. It has the effect of clearing the intestine and relieving constipation, so it can be used for constipation and constipation caused by heat accumulation in the large intestine. However, Sterculia lychnophora has a weak laxative effect and is only suitable for mild symptoms, and must be used in combination with other laxatives.

After all, the medicinal properties are cold, and using it too much will damage the body's yang energy, especially causing damage to the spleen and stomach functions, and causing side effects such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. Therefore, take Sterculia lychnophora as soon as it works, and do not drink it as a health drink or tea for a long time. Some people have spleen and stomach deficiency and coldness, which manifests as decreased appetite, cold pain in the abdomen, preference for warmth and pressure, loose stools, etc., so Sterculia lychnophora should be used with caution. In addition, women should also use it with caution during menstruation.

Medicinal value of Sterculia lychnophora

This medicine is sweet and cold in nature, light and dispersing in texture. It goes up into the lung meridian to clear and promote lung qi, and is a good medicine for throat diseases. It goes down into the large intestine meridian to clear the intestines and promote bowel movements, and is used to treat upper fire toxicity syndrome caused by heat accumulation and constipation. Due to its weak medicinal properties, it is only suitable for mild symptoms.

Nature and flavor

Nature and flavor: sweet, cool, cold in nature. It can clear the lungs and resolve phlegm, relieve sore throat and relieve voice, and moisten the intestines and promote bowel movements.

① "Compendium of Materia Medica": "sweet and mild."

② Zhang Shouyi: "It tastes light and slightly sweet, and is warm in nature."

③ "Compilation of Medicinal Materials": "Sweet and mild, cool in nature."

How to eat Pangdahai

Sterculia lychnophora and pear juice

Ingredients: 9 grams of Sterculia lychnophora, 10 grams of Ophiopogon japonicus, 6 grams of Platycodon grandiflorum, 2 pears, and appropriate amount of white sugar.

practice:

1. Wash the Sterculia lychnophora, Ophiopogon japonicus and Platycodon grandiflorum, and wash the pear and cut into small pieces.

2. Add water to Sterculia lychnophora, Platycodon grandiflorum, Ophiopogon japonicus and Snow pear and steam over high heat for 1 hour.

3. Add white sugar.

Efficacy: Suitable for those who are thirsty due to summer heat, those who have dry cough and hemoptysis due to yin deficiency, those who have cough and sputum due to lung heat, those who have dry throat, those who have internal heat, those who have dry intestines and constipation, and those who have dry and itchy skin.

Sterculia lychnophora mint and polygonatum drink

Ingredients: 9 grams of Sterculia lychnophora, 5 grams of mint, 6 grams of Polygonatum odoratum, appropriate amount of rock sugar and appropriate amount of water.

practice:

1. Wash the sterculia lychnophora, mint and polygonatum odoratum and set aside.

2. Add 500 ml of water to the pot, put in Sterculia lychnophora and Polygonatum odoratum and boil for 5 minutes, then add mint and rock sugar and boil.

Efficacy: Suitable for patients with mouth and tongue ulcers, sore throat, yin deficiency and dry cough caused by internal heat, etc.

Contraindications of using Sterculia lychnophora

Suitable for people

In terms of diet, it is suitable for patients with lung heat cough, swollen and painful gums, red eyes, sore throat, acute tonsillitis, chronic constipation, hemorrhoids, dry cough without sputum, hoarseness, bloody stool, bone steaming and internal heat, triple burner fire syndrome, vomiting blood and bleeding; in addition, it can also be consumed as a heat-clearing and heat-relief beverage in the hot summer.

What are the side effects of Sterculia lychnophora? Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes that medicine and food have the same origin, but Sterculia lychnophora is a traditional Chinese medicine that has the same origin as medicine and food. When taking Sterculia lychnophora, it should be used according to the symptoms and taken when it works.

Several types of diseases are not suitable for drinking Pangdahai:

1. Diarrhea due to spleen and stomach deficiency and coldness;

2. For diabetic patients, as Sterculia lychnophora contains galactose, galactoseacetic acid, etc., be careful to prevent high blood sugar due to excessive intake.

3. For patients with hypotension, Sterculia lychnophora has a certain antihypertensive effect, and long-term use may cause low blood pressure.

Note: It is not suitable to drink Pangdahai tea for a long time!