Wu Huan Zi
StarSapindus mukorossi Gaertn.
☯ TCM Properties
Clears Heat; Resolves Phlegm; Promotes Digestion and Resolves Food Stagnation; Expels Parasites; Benefits the Throat; Resolves Toxicity and Reduces Swelling
Traditional Chinese Uses
Wu Huan Zi (soapberry fruit, Chinese soapberry) is a cool herb used in Chinese medicine to clear Heat toxin, resolve Phlegm, and open the orifices. It is applied for sore throat and tonsillitis from Heat toxin and Phlegm obstruction, as well as for skin conditions from Heat accumulation. Applied topically as a wash or gargle, it reduces throat inflammation and relieves swelling and pain. Its Phlegm-dispersing properties are also used for cough with phlegm and chest tightness from Heat-Phlegm accumulation.
Botanical Description
Sapindus mukorossi, the soapnut or reetha, is a medium to large deciduous tree of the Sapindaceae family reaching 12 to 20 m in height, with a straight trunk, smooth greyish bark, and a dense rounded crown. Leaves are alternate, paripinnate, 30 to 50 cm long, with five to ten pairs of opposite or subopposite lanceolate leaflets 7 to 15 cm long, each obliquely acuminate at the tip. Numerous small five-merous greenish-white flowers are borne in large terminal panicles 20 to 35 cm long in the warm season. The fruit is a fleshy globose drupe 1.5 to 2.5 cm in diameter, ripening from green to yellowish-brown, becoming dark and wrinkled when dry, with one (rarely two or three) large hard black globose seeds. The pericarp is rich in triterpenoid saponins and produces a stable lather in water.
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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