Suan Jiang
StarPhysalis alkekengi L. var. franchetii (Mast.) Makino
☯ TCM Properties
Clear Heat, detoxifies, benefit the throat and transforms Phlegm; Clears fevers and promotes diuresis; Calms the Shen, clears vision and tonifies Qi
Traditional Chinese Uses
Suan Jiang is the fruit and persistent papery calyx (and sometimes whole plant) of Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii, the Chinese lantern plant, known as Jin Deng Long when the calyx is used. Bitter, sour and cold, entering the Heart and Lung channels, it clears Heat and resolves toxicity, benefits the throat, and transforms Phlegm; it also promotes urination to drain Damp-Heat via painful urinary dribbling (lin) patterns.
Its classic application is Heat-toxin sore, swollen and painful throat, hoarseness, cough with thick phlegm, mumps, and Heat-type dysuria; it is also used for jaundice and dysentery. It is decocted or the calyx-fruit powdered for the throat, and modern Suan Jiang and Jin Deng Long preparations treat suppurative tonsillitis and pharyngitis. Use cautiously in pregnancy and Spleen-Stomach cold-deficiency.
Botanical Description
Physalis alkekengi L. (Chinese lantern plant, strawberry-groundcherry) is a herbaceous perennial in the Solanaceae, 40-80 cm tall, with creeping rhizomes giving rise to erect, slightly angled, sparsely hairy stems. Leaves are alternate or paired at the upper nodes, broadly ovate to rhomboid, 5-15 cm long, with entire to coarsely sinuate-dentate margins, an acute apex, and a wedge-shaped to truncate base. Solitary flowers borne in the leaf axils are nodding, with a white, broadly campanulate, 5-lobed corolla 1-2 cm across. As the fruit develops, the calyx enlarges into the distinctive papery, ovoid, bright orange-red "lantern" 3-5 cm long that encloses a single globose, smooth, scarlet berry. Native to Eurasia from central Europe across temperate Asia to Japan; naturalised widely.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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