Katsumadai Seed (Caodoukou)
| Pharmaceutical Name: | Semen Alpiniae katsumadai |
| Botanical Name: | Alpinia katsumadai Hayata |
| Common Name: | Katsumadai seed |
| Source of Earliest Record: | Mingyi Bielu |
| art Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: | The yellow fruit is gathered in summer or autumn and dried in the sun. The seeds are smashed after the flesh has been peeled off. |
| Properties and Taste: | Pungent and warm |
| Meridian: | Spleen and stomach |
| Functions: | To dry dampness and warm the spleen and stomach To promote qi circulation |
| Indications and Combinations: | Cold-damp blocking and stagnating spleen and stomach manifested as epigastric and abdominal distension and fullness, cold pain, vomiting and diarrhea. *In cases of excessive dampness, use with magnolia bark (Houpo), Atractylodes rhizome (Cangzhu) and Pinellia tuber (Banxia). *In cases of excessive cold, use with Cinnamon bark (Rougui) and Dried ginger (Ganjiang). |
| Dosage: | 3-6 g |