Properties: Sweet, cold
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Lung and Spleen
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Clears Heat, resolves Toxicity and moistens the intestines
Thirst with fever
Constipation, bleeding haemorrhoids
Suggested Daily Dosage: 1-4 fruits, cooked or eaten raw.
Notable Constituents:
- α-amylases
Digestive enzymes that hydrolyze starch to dextrins, involved in the ripening process of fruits but can also be of use in assisting the digestive process.
- β-amylases
Digestive enzyme that promotes further hydrolysis of dextrins to maltose, involved in the ripening process of fruits but can also be of use in assisting the digestive process.
- α-1,4-glucosidases
Enzyme that breaks down glycogen to glucose, involved in the ripening of bananas but also can be used to aid digestion of sugars.
- α-1,6-glucosidases
Enzyme involved in the hydrolysis of α-1,6-glycosidic linkages in isomaltose and the dextrins, involved in the ripening of bananas but also can be used to aid digestion of sugars.
Does not appear in any formulae listed on this site
Research Links & References: (click to display)
Research Links:
Reference Notes:
Individual herb information has sourced mainly from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes. Zhou, Xie and Yan (2011): Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Vol. 5, and A+ Medical Encyclopaedia have been used for entries not available from those sources with additional material searched for and filled in where available. Western herbs not appearing in the Chinese literature have used Ross (2010): Combining Western Herbs and Chinese Medicine: A Clinical Materia Medica, White Rabbit Institute of Healing and therapeutika.ch. Choices of which source to use or combine have been my own.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted. Actions and indications are taken from traditional uses and do not necessarily reflect the evidence base which should be researched independently. Dosages are for guidance only and will vary dependening on the potency of the batch and the tolerance of the individual so should be evaluated by a professional based on individual needs.
