Hawthorn Fruit (Shanzha)
| Pharmaceutical Name: | Fructus Crataegi |
| Botanical Name: | Crataegus cuneata Sieb, et Zucc Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var Major N. E. Br. Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. |
| Common Name: | Hawthorn fruit Crataegus fruit |
| Source of Earliest Record: | Xinxiu Bencao |
| art Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: | The fruit is gathered in late autumn or in the beginning of winter, dried in the sun and fried, or raw, fruit may be used. |
| Properties and Taste: | Sour, sweet, and slightly warm |
| Meridian: | Spleen, stomach, and liver |
| Functions: | To eliminate food retention To investigate blood circulation and remove stagnation |
| Indications and Combinations: | 1. Food retention (especially of fatty food) accompanied by abdominal and epigastric distension, pain and diarrhea. *Use with Medicated leaven (Shenqu), germinated barley (Maiya), Costus root (Muxiang) and Bitter orange (Zhiqiao). 2. Postpartum abdominal pain and lochia due to blood stagnation. *Use with Chinese angelica root (Danggui), Chuanxiong rhizome (Chuanxiong and Motherwort (Yimucao). |
| Dosage: | 10-15 g |