Efficacy and function of loofah

Do you know what loofah is? Maybe we only know loofah and loofah water, but not loofah. Here is a detailed introduction:

Loofah【Source】

《Renewal of Materia Medica》

【Pinyin name】Sī Guā Luò

Loofah【Alias】

Luffa net (Medical Collection), luffa shell (Classification of Herbal Properties), luffa web, luffa pulp (Flora of Guangzhou), Tianluo line (Compilation of Medicinal Materials), luffa tendons (Jiangsu Plant Medicinal Records), luffa pulp (Hebei Medicinal Materials), Qiancenglou (Hunan Materia Medica Records).

[Source] It is the mesh fiber of the old fruit of the Cucurbitaceae plant loofah or the old fruit of Guangdong loofah. In autumn, the old fruit is collected, the skin and flesh are rubbed off, or soaked in water until the skin and flesh rot, then taken out and washed. The seeds are removed and dried in the sun, which is called "loofah net". Guangdong loofah is collected without peeling and seeds, which is called "loofah cloth".

【Original morphology】For details about the plant morphology, please refer to the entry for "Luffa".

【Properties】①Luffa

It is long cylindrical or long prismatic, slightly curved, and thin at both ends. It is about 25 to 60 cm long, with a diameter of about 6 to 8 cm in the middle. The surface is white or yellowish white, and the whole system is a mesh made of multiple layers of filamentous fibers. It is light, tough, and cannot be broken. The cross section shows that the ovary has three chambers, forming three large cavities, with a few remaining black seeds. It has no odor and a light taste. It is best to have fine tendons, tough texture, white color, and no skin.

It is produced all over the country, with those produced in Zhejiang and Jiangsu being of better quality.

② Loofah

The appearance is long cylindrical, with a tough fruit stalk at one end, the peel is grayish yellow, with 10 longitudinal ridges, and the peel is crisp. The rest is similar to loofah.

Mainly produced in Guangdong.

【Chemical composition of loofah】

Luffa contains xylan and cellulose, and may also contain mannan, galactan and lignin.

[Preparation] Luffa: Wash, dry and cut into sections. Stir-fried luffa: Take the luffa cut into small sections, stir-fry with the peel until it turns yellow, take it out and sieve out the bran. Luffa charcoal: Take the luffa cut into small sections, put it in a pot (fill it up), cover it with a pot of the same size, seal the joint of the two pots with yellow mud, then calcine it with a low fire for about 4 to 5 hours and stop the fire (usually stick white paper on the bottom of the pot, and it is calcined when the paper turns brown), wait for it to cool and take it out.

【Nature and flavor】 Sweet, neutral.

① "Compendium of Materia Medica": "It tastes sweet and is cold in nature."

② "Nanning Drug Records": "Sweet, neutral, non-toxic."

【Functions and indications of loofah】

It can promote blood circulation, clear away heat and resolve phlegm. It can treat chest and flank pain, abdominal pain, back pain, testicular swelling and pain, lung heat and phlegm cough, amenorrhea, milk stagnation, carbuncle, hemorrhoid fistula. Charcoal: It can stop bleeding. It can treat blood in stool and uterine bleeding.

① "Medical Collection": "Cools blood, clears blood, dredges meridians, and supports smallpox."

② "New Materia Medica": "It clears the meridians, harmonizes the blood vessels, resolves phlegm and relieves qi."

③ "Classification of Herbal Medicines": "For the treatment of breast swelling and pain, calcine it and drink it with wine. Grind it into powder and mix it with sesame oil to apply to burns."

④ "Modern Practical Chinese Medicine": "It can promote lactation and cure acne. It can treat carbuncle. It can be taken internally as black burn to treat intestinal bleeding, dysentery, uterine bleeding, testicular inflammation, hemorrhoid bleeding, etc."

⑤ "Luchuan Materia Medica": "Cools blood and detoxifies, promotes diuresis and removes dampness. Treats lung heat and cough, fever delirium, heart heat and irritability, and convulsions of hands and feet."