Villous Amomum Fruit is the dried mature fruit of the ginger family plants Yangchun Amomum, Hainan Amomum, or Shousha. It is mainly produced in Yangchun, Xinyi, Gaozhou, and other counties in Guangdong; Hainan Amomum is mainly produced in Hainan Island and Zhanjiang area; Shousha is mainly produced in Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, and other places. The original plant Yangchun Villous Amomum Fruit grows in warm, humid, humus-rich, shady, and damp places under water ditches; Green-shelled Villous Amomum Fruit grows in shady and damp places under water ditches or is cultivated; Hainan Villous Amomum Fruit grows in dense forests in valleys. It prefers the warm and humid climate of tropical and subtropical monsoon rainforests, is not cold-resistant, fears drought, and avoids waterlogging. It has a pungent taste and warm nature. It belongs to the spleen and stomach meridians. Its effects include resolving dampness, moving qi, warming the middle, and calming the fetus. The clinical name is Villous Amomum Fruit.
bubble_chart Compendium of Materia Medica
Bencao Shiyi: Sour in taste. Mainly treats upper qi cough, running-piglet ghost infestation, fright epilepsy pathogenic qi.
Yaoxing Lun: Sovereign. Originates from Persia, bitter and pungent in taste. Can treat cold abdominal pain due to qi stagnation, stop intermittent dysentery and fatigue damage, digest food and grains, warm the spleen and stomach, treat cold and slippery diarrhea. For deficiency and emaciation, grind into powder, thinly slice lamb liver, sprinkle powder on each slice, bake dry on tiles, grind into powder, mix with Dried Ginger powder, form into pills with rice, take 50 pills twice daily. Another formula: roast Aconite Lateral Root, grind Dried Ginger, Magnolia Bark, aged tangerine peel into equal parts, form into pills, take 40 pills twice daily.
Rihuazi Bencao: Treats all types of qi, cholera muscle cramps, heart abdominal pain.Yaolei Faxiang: Warm in qi, pungent in taste.
Treats spleen and stomach qi stagnation. Mainly treats deficiency fatigue cold diarrhea, heart abdominal pain, lowering qi, and digestion.
Tangye Bencao: Warm in qi, pungent in taste, non-toxic.
Enters the hand and foot Taiyin meridians, Yangming meridians, Taiyang meridian, and foot Shaoyin meridian.
Yaolei Faxiang: Treats spleen and stomach qi stagnation. Mainly treats fatigue deficiency cold diarrhea, heart abdominal pain, lowering qi, and digestion.
Shennong Bencao Jing: Treats deficiency fatigue cold diarrhea, retained food indigestion, red and white diarrhea, abdominal deficiency pain, lowering qi.
Tangye Bencao: With white sandalwood and whitefruit amomim fruit as guides, it enters the lung; with Ginseng and Yizhi as guides, it enters the spleen; with Phelloendron Bark and Poria as guides, it enters the kidney; with red Kaolinite as guides, it enters the large and small intestines.
Bencao Yanyi Buyi: Calms the fetus, relieves pain, moves qi. Rihuazi Bencao: Treats all types of qi, cholera, heart abdominal pain. Also: Stops recurrent dysentery, its name is Shousha honey.
Bencao Fahui: Jiegu says: Treats spleen and stomach qi stagnation. Mainly treats deficiency fatigue cold diarrhea, heart abdominal pain, lowering qi and digestion.
Bencao Gangmu: Han Mao's《醫通》云: The kidney dislikes dryness, moisten it with pungency. The pungency of Shousha Villous Amomum Fruit moistens kidney dryness. Also: Shousha belongs to earth, mainly awakens the spleen and regulates the stomach, guiding various medicines to the dantian. Fragrant and able to penetrate, harmonizes the peaceful qi of the five zang-organs, like the earth's peaceful qi. Therefore, kidney-tonifying medicines are used with Rehmannia pills for steaming, taking its purgative effect. Also transforms bones, used in eating herbal medicines and alchemists refining three yellows, how can its nature control these things?
Tonifies the lung, awakens the spleen, nourishes the stomach, benefits the kidney, regulates original qi, unblocks stagnant qi, disperses cold and dampness, relieves dysphagia and vomiting, stops women's menorrhagia, removes throat and mouth floating heat, dissolves copper and iron bone obstructions.Bencao Jingshu：Sharen (Amomum villosum) is born from the harmonious yang qi of heaven and earth, hence its taste is pungent, its qi is warm, and its nature is non-toxic. It enters the foot Taiyin, Yangming, Shaoyin, and Jueyin meridians, as well as the hand Taiyin, Yangming, and Jueyin meridians. It can both ascend and descend, with descending actions being more prominent than ascending, indicating its yang nature. Pungency can disperse and also moisten, while warmth can harmonize and promote free flow. Deficiency fatigue and cold diarrhea are due to insufficiency of the spleen and kidney. Retained food and indigestion are due to weakness of both the spleen and stomach. Red and white dysentery is caused by dampness-heat and food retention in the stomach and large intestine due to deficiency. Pungency moistens the kidney, thus causing qi to descend, and combined with warmth, it harmonizes the qi of the spleen and kidney. When harmony is achieved, cold diarrhea stops, retained food is digested, and red and white dysentery is cured. When qi descends, it returns to its origin, thus relieving abdominal pain due to deficiency. Zhen Quan used it to stop cold qi pain, recurrent dysentery, digest food and water, and warm the liver and kidney. Chen Cang-qi used it to treat running-piglet syndrome and ghost-pathogen qi. Ghost-pathogen qi must be due to deficiency of both the spleen and kidney, and exhaustion of yin and yang. Rihuazi used it to treat all types of qi disorders and muscle cramp cholera. Muscle cramp cholera must be due to the spleen and stomach being affected by pathogenic factors, leading to stagnation and blockage of stomach qi. Yang Shi used it to relieve pain and calm the fetus. Qi stagnation causes pain, and qi counterflow causes fetal restlessness. Jiegu used it to treat spleen and stomach qi stagnation and漆散 (a type of medicinal powder), all of which lower qi, disperse stagnation, warm the middle, and harmonize the stomach, entering the spleen, kidney, liver, life gate, and large intestine.
Mistakes to Avoid: Amomum villosum, with a pungent and warm nature, is a yang medicinal. For abdominal pain due to fire, diarrhea caused by summer heat, fetal movement due to blood heat, sore throat from fire inflammation, infantile anal prolapse due to qi deficiency, swelling and fullness from dampness-heat, and coughing with upward qi due to fire impacting the lungs, and not due to cold injury, all require careful differentiation and should not be used indiscriminately. Misuse can be harmful rather than beneficial, so it should not be taken lightly. It is not a lung meridian herb, but it is sometimes used for coughs caused by cold pathogens stagnating in the lungs, leading to inhibited qi and resulting in coughing. However, if the cough is mostly due to lung heat, this herb should not be used.Bencao Mengquan : Pungent and bitter in taste, warm in nature. Non-toxic. When paired with Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit and Ginseng, it enters the spleen; with white sandalwood and whitefruit amomum fruit, it enters the lungs; with Phellodendron Bark and Poria, it enters the bladder and kidneys; with red Kaolinite, it enters the large and small intestines. It treats cholera, stops nausea, relieves abdominal pain, calms the fetus, warms the spleen and stomach, and lowers qi. It addresses deficiency fatigue, cold diarrhea, undigested food, stops red and white dysentery, and recurrent dysentery. It is effective in resolving stagnation and works miraculously. It enhances the aroma of alcohol and is excellent for seasoning food.
Bencao Chengya: It ascends and descends appropriately, not only countering yin stagnation and opening the upper energizer, but also promoting the flavors of the five grains, reviving the stomach, and awakening the spleen. It can tonify deficiency, calm the fetus, stop uterine bleeding, calm fright, stabilize epilepsy, astringe leakage, stop prolapse, stop running-piglet syndrome, and address issues where autumn cannot move outward and winter cannot descend. It can also help with life gate fire deficiency, inability to absorb qi, and issues where spring cannot ascend and summer cannot move outward. It detoxifies, disperses stagnation, relaxes tendons, relieves depression, resolves masses, stops pain, eliminates phlegm, regulates the middle, opens dysphagia, and stops vomiting. This is the power of opening the upper energizer, promoting the flavors of the five grains, reviving the stomach, and awakening the spleen. Do not only focus on its ascending and outward actions but also consider its descending and inward actions. By understanding its name and following its indications, one can grasp its true nature.
Yaoxing Jie: Villous Amomum Fruit, pungent in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic, enters the spleen, stomach, lungs, large and small intestines, bladder, and kidneys. It treats cold deficiency diarrhea, undigested food, abdominal pain, heart pain, cough, fullness, running-piglet syndrome, cholera, muscle cramps, dispels cold, expels phlegm, calms the fetus, stops vomiting, lowers qi, and aids in digesting alcohol and food.
Note: Villous Amomum Fruit is a dispersing agent, thus it enters the spleen and stomach meridians. It is warm without being overly hot, moves qi without being overly harsh, and is an essential herb for the Taiyin meridian, suitable for regular use.
Yaojian : Warm in nature, pungent in taste, non-toxic. When paired with Skullcap Root, it becomes an excellent remedy for calming the fetus. It treats all types of cholera, vomiting, diarrhea, and heart and abdominal pain, as its warm and pungent nature can relieve pain and move qi. It is also used in diarrhea remedies for the same reason. When paired with Alpinia oxyphylla and Ginseng, it enters the spleen; with white sandalwood and whitefruit amomum fruit, it enters the lungs; with Phellodendron Bark and Poria, it enters the bladder and kidneys; with red Kaolinite, it enters the large and small intestines. Although it is warm and pungent, using it to treat heat with heat is a form of compliant treatment. As the classics say: "Treating heat with heat." This is what it means. Dongyuan considered it a remedy for digesting alcohol and food because its warm and pungent nature moves qi, allowing the body to metabolize alcohol and food.
Jingyue Quanshu : Pungent and slightly bitter in taste, warm in nature. It harmonizes the spleen, moves qi, digests food, expels cold, treats cholera, stops nausea, relieves fullness, calms qi, stabilizes the fetus, relieves abdominal pain, treats cold diarrhea, stops urinary leakage and dysentery, opens the chest, resolves phlegm, normalizes circuit qi, stops cough, relieves oral and dental heat, stops menorrhagia, and treats ghost qi and running-piglet syndrome. To enhance its warming effect, it should be stir-fried and ground. It enters the lungs, kidneys, and bladder, guided by appropriate herbs. It is also effective in dissolving copper and bone obstructions.
Bencao Beiyao : Also known as Amomum villosum, it disperses and moves qi, regulating the middle.
Pungent and warm, fragrant and penetrating. It tonifies the lungs and benefits the kidneys, harmonizes the stomach and awakens the spleen, promotes qi and regulates the middle, and facilitates the movement of stagnation. It treats abdominal pain, distension, and stagnation. In cases where cold-damage disease is treated too early, leading to interior deficiency and the invasion of pathogenic factors causing stagnation, or where stagnation is caused by food accumulation and phlegm obstruction, or where spleen deficiency and weak qi cause stagnation, it is necessary to differentiate between deficiency and excess for treatment. It is not advisable to use only qi-regulating drugs, as this may lead to tympanites. Tympanites involves internal distension with external manifestations, while distension only involves a feeling of fullness and discomfort, both of which are diseases of the Taiyin. It also treats hiccups, vomiting, cough with rising qi, red and white diarrhea, dampness-heat retention of food, and conditions affecting the large intestine. Villous Amomum Fruit also enters the large and small intestine meridians. It treats cholera muscle cramps, running-piglet syndrome, and abnormal vaginal discharge. It dispels phlegm and expels cold, aids digestion and sobers up, relieves pain and calms the fetus. When qi moves, pain stops; when qi is smooth, the fetus is calm. It disperses floating heat in the throat, mouth, and teeth, and dissolves copper and iron bones stuck in the throat. Wang Hao-gu said: When combined with sandalwood and whitefruit amomim fruit, it enters the lungs; when combined with ginseng and Yizhi, it enters the spleen; when combined with Phelloendron Bark and Poria, it enters the kidneys; when combined with red halloysite, it enters the large and small intestines. "Yi Tong" says: Pungent can moisten kidney dryness and guide various medicines to the dantian. Rehmannia is used in steaming, also taking advantage of its ability to reach the lower part. "Jing Shu" says: In cases of kidney deficiency where qi does not return to its origin, it is used as a guide, which is better than the harmful effects of hot drugs like cinnamon and aconite.
Benjing Fengyuan: Amomum belongs to the earth element, awakens the spleen and regulates the stomach, serving as a qi medicine for the seven meridians of the spleen, stomach, lung, kidney, large intestine, small intestine, and bladder. It can guide various medicines to the dantian, treating diarrhea due to spleen deficiency, undigested retained food, white frothy diarrhea, abdominal pain due to deficiency, cold-induced distension and fullness, dysphagia and vomiting, harmonizing the middle and moving qi, relieving pain and calming the fetus, all of which are effective. When used with Prepared Rehmannia Root and Poria, it directs qi to the kidney; with sandalwood and whitefruit amomum fruit, it lowers qi to soothe the lungs; with Dried Tangerine Peel and White Atractylodes Rhizome, it harmonizes qi and benefits the spleen. However, it is contraindicated for new mothers due to the risk of sudden qi movement causing bleeding. Nowadays, it is also commonly used to treat bloody dysentery. However, it is not suitable when the accumulation is nearly depleted. It is also contraindicated for cough due to blood deficiency and fire inflammation, but suitable for pregnant women with qi stagnation. Overuse by those with qi deficiency can deplete their qi, often leading to difficult delivery. Southerners, who prefer smoothness, often use it in food; Northerners, who prefer concealment, rarely use it in medicine.
Bencao Qiuzhen: [Comment] Warms the spleen and stomach, relieves stagnation.
Amomum specifically enters the spleen and stomach, and also the lung, kidney, large intestine, and bladder. It is pungent, warm, and astringent, hence it is known as an essential medicine for awakening the spleen and regulating the stomach. However, it also enters the lung, kidney, large intestine, and bladder, thus when used with sandalwood and Cardamon Fruit, it can enter the lung; with Ginseng and Yizhi, it can enter the spleen; with Phelloendron Bark and Poria, it can enter the kidney; with red halloysite, it can enter the large and small intestines. Its ability to awaken the spleen and regulate the stomach, move qi and regulate the middle, is effective for abdominal pain and distension. Pain can be relieved by pressing or not, if the pain is relieved by pressing, it is mostly due to deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach, and this should be used for treatment, otherwise it is strictly prohibited. Distension can be caused by cold, heat, summer heat, dampness, phlegm, qi, blood, or food, and it is also necessary to examine the accompanying symptoms and pulses to determine, not all can be treated with Villous Amomum Fruit. Entering the large intestine, it is effective for red and white diarrhea; entering the lung, it can manage cough and upward qi. Diarrhea due to cold-dampness should be treated with it, but not for damp-heat. As for its ability to relieve pain and calm the fetus, and to dissipate floating heat in the throat, mouth, and teeth, it is also due to its harmonizing and smoothing qi. It is suitable for fetal cold stagnation and for heat due to deficiency and floating. If it is due to real heat and fetal qi disharmony, or water deficiency and dryness accumulation in the throat, mouth, and teeth, can it be effective? Therefore, the distinction between deficiency and excess must be carefully discerned and examined.
Depei Bencao: It pairs well with Chebula Fruit, turtle carapace, and white large-fruited elm. Evodia Fruit and green tangerine peel serve as guides to enter the liver; Cardamon Fruit and sandalwood serve as guides to enter the lung; Ginseng and Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit serve as guides to enter the spleen; Phelloendron Bark and Poria serve as guides to enter the kidney; red Kaolinite serves as a guide to enter the large and small intestines.
Pungent, warm. Enters the qi aspect of the hand and foot Taiyin, Yangming, and foot Shaoyin meridians. Awakens the spleen and stomach, promotes the passage of stagnation, guides various medicines, and returns to the dantian. Digests food, calms the fetus, removes foul odors, dispels cold phlegm, treats vomiting and diarrhea, distension and abdominal pain, cholera muscle cramps, and running-piglet bone obstruction.
When paired with a mole cricket in equal parts, ground and taken with wine, it treats generalized swelling and swelling of the genitals; when paired with cooked Aconite Lateral Root, Dried Ginger, Magnolia Bark, and Dried Tangerine Peel, it treats cold and slippery dysentery; when paired with whitefruit amomum fruit and Astragalus Root, it enters the lung.
To calm the fetus, fry with the shell until cooked and then grind; for yin deficiency, soak in salt water until thoroughly penetrated, then fry until black; to regulate kidney qi, mix with Prepared Rehmannia Root juice and steam; for phlegm obstruction and fullness, soak in radish juice until thoroughly penetrated, then bake until dry.
Contraindicated for pregnant women with qi deficiency, blood heat causing fetal movement, lung heat cough, and qi deficiency causing swelling and fullness.
Benjing Shuzheng: Some say that upon detailed observation of the Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit's form and aroma, it seems no different from other whitefruit amomim fruits in its application to earth and metal. However, the core materia medica's main treatments suggest that one can promote the use of fire in water, and the other can draw the essence of water into fire. What is the reasoning behind this? In terms of form, both plants are tall and robust, but one bears fruit at the root, while the other bears fruit on lower branches, with flowers and fruits all contracted below. This indicates that they guide the qi to return, unlike other whitefruit amomim fruits that guide the qi to move, which is one point. In terms of aroma, the fragrant qi belongs to earth; in the universe, water and fire cannot interact without earth. The pungent taste belongs to metal; water and fire cannot interact without metal. Guiding the movement involves free ascent and descent through metal and wood, while guiding the return involves the natural flow back and forth through water and fire. This is their way of harmonizing yin-yang, unlike other whitefruit amomim fruits that separate yin-yang, which is another point. However, each of these two plants has its own intimate and profound principle. In the case of Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit, the skin is yellow-red and the core is slightly black, with a taste that is both sour and salty. This indicates that the utility of fire and earth firmly protects water, and the pungent passage follows its duty to return to the root in water. Therefore, it is said to treat deficiency fatigue, cold diarrhea, undigested retained food, red and white dysentery, abdominal deficiency pain, and lowering qi, all conditions where the qi of fire and earth is obstructed and cannot descend to interact with water, leading to water's unregulated and rampant flow. In the case of Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit, the skin is black and the core is white, with a slightly bitter taste. This indicates that water guards the exterior, causing fire to contract within. The bitter descent follows its duty, causing water to nourish fire and brighten it. Therefore, it is said to treat seminal emission, deficiency fistula disease, residual dribbling of urine, tonifying qi to calm the spirit, supplementing deficiencies, benefiting the triple energizer, and regulating various qi, all conditions where water qi does not contract and cannot ascend to interact with fire, leading to fire's weakness and inability to sustain itself. Generally speaking, other whitefruit amomim fruits primarily promote passage, while these two plants primarily promote contraction. Between these two, Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit primarily descends, while Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit primarily ascends. However, the descent of Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit removes the tangible to return to the intangible, and the ascent of Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit brings the tangible to receive the intangible. Their fundamental principle of returning to the root and fulfilling destiny is actually similar to other whitefruit amomim fruits, relying on their pungent and cool astringent power. The climate of the southern regions is such that winter does not have a strict command of retreat and storage, while the exuberance of summer is marked by intense heat during the day and coolness at night. Thus, the flourishing of these plants embodies both expansion and contraction, unlike the central regions where expansion and contraction occur independently.
Bencao Xinbian: Pungent and bitter in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. Enters the spleen, lungs, bladder, large and small intestines, stops hiccups and vomiting, eliminates cholera, relieves nausea, soothes abdominal pain, warms the spleen and stomach, treats deficiency fatigue and cold diarrhea, resolves food retention, stops recurrent dysentery, and is quite effective in calming the fetus. However, it should only be used as an adjuvant to move stagnant qi, and should not be used in excess. It is excellent in tonifying deficiency pills, assisting various tonics, and moving qi and blood without obstruction.
Some may ask, since Villous Amomum Fruit is a digestive aid, isn't it inappropriate to include it in tonifying deficiency formulas? Why is it considered excellent? It is not known that tonics are heavy in flavor, and without the aid of digestive herbs, they may be overly nourishing and difficult to digest. Including Villous Amomum Fruit can invigorate the spleen and stomach qi, allowing the tonics to be more easily digested, generating essence and qi more readily.
Some may ask, since Villous Amomum Fruit is fragrant and enters the spleen, and pungent and moistens the kidneys, isn't it necessary to use it as a guide for qi that does not return to its origin, and isn't it superior to the heat toxicity of cinnamon and aconite? It is said: This is not understanding Villous Amomum Fruit. Villous Amomum Fruit only enters the spleen, not the kidneys. It can guide kidney-tonifying herbs into the spleen, but it is not necessary to use Villous Amomum Fruit to guide all tonics from the spleen to the kidneys. Shennong Bencao does not mention it entering the kidneys, only that it treats deficiency fatigue and cold diarrhea. Cold diarrhea can be specifically related to the spleen, so why say that spleen cold is all due to kidney cold?
Bencao Fenjing: Pungent, warm, fragrant, and drying. Harmonizes the stomach and awakens the spleen, quickens qi and regulates the middle, promotes the movement of stagnation, aids digestion and sobers up. Treats distension and disperses floating heat. Combined with sandalwood and whitefruit amomim fruit, it enters the lungs; with Ginseng and Yizhi, it enters the spleen; with Phelloendron Bark and Poria, it enters the kidneys; with Kaolinite and red halloysite, it enters the large and small intestines. It can moisten kidney dryness and guide various herbs to the dantian. For kidney deficiency and qi not returning to its origin, it is used as a guide and is very safe.
bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology
- Villous Amomum Fruit can significantly shorten the sleep time induced by pentobarbital sodium. It has a significant synergistic effect with indomethacin on the central inhibition caused by pentobarbital sodium.
- Villous Amomum Fruit has anti-stress ulcer effects; its aqueous extract can enhance the rhythmic movement of isolated ileum tubes, increasing their contraction amplitude; it also promotes gastrointestinal motility.
- Villous Amomum Fruit suspension can inhibit platelet aggregation.
- Villous Amomum Fruit has a significant inhibitory effect on antibody-forming cells.
- Villous Amomum Fruit aqueous extract can increase the liver coefficient in rats and mice.
- Villous Amomum Fruit has analgesic effects. Its saponins can kill snails, mosquitoes, and maggots; the borneol in its volatile oil can relieve spasms and expel parasites, and the camphor in its volatile oil can raise blood pressure. The linalool oil in Villous Amomum Fruit has bactericidal effects.