✵The article records the herb Carrot Fruit—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—a single plant species, Daucus carota L., and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species; as well as the characteristics of the herb Carrot Fruit, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Fructus Carotae (Carrot Fruit)
Pinyin Name: Nán Hè Shī.
English Name: Carrot Fruit
Latin Name:Fructus Carotae Properties and Flavor: Neutral in nature; bitter and pungent in taste
Brief Introduction:Fructus Carotae is the dried, ripe fruit of Daucus carota L., used (1) to expel parasitic worms in cases of ascariasis, oxyuriasis, and taeniasis, and (2) to resolve food retention for treating food stagnation. The herb is commonly known as Fructus Carotae, Carrot Fruit, or Nán Hè Shī.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Fructus Carotae (Carrot Fruit) as the dried, ripe fruit of Daucus carota L. It is a plant of the genus Daucus L., family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae, parsley family), order Apiales. This commonly used species is described below:
Daucus carota L
Botanical Description:Daucus carota L. is commonly known as Yě Hú Luó Bo (“wild carrot”). It is a biennial herb growing up to 15–120 cm tall. The stem is solitary, and the whole plant is covered with white hirsute pubescence. Roots are slenderly conical, succulent, and yellowish-white. Basal leaves are membranous, oblong, bipinnatisect to tripinnatisect; terminal lobes are linear (filiform) or lanceolate, 2–15 mm long and 0.5–4 mm wide, acuminate with a small apiculate tip; surfaces are smooth or strigillose; petioles are 3–12 cm long. Cauline leaves are subsessile, with leaf sheaths; terminal lobes are small and slender.
The compound umbel is terminal; peduncles are 10–55 cm long, strigillose. Involucral bracts (phyllaries) are numerous, leaf-like, pinnately divided; lobes are linear (filiform), 3–30 mm long. Umbel rays are numerous; outer rays are recurved during fruiting. Involucel bractlets 5–7, linear (filiform), entire or 2–3-lobed; margins are membranous and ciliate. Flowers usually white, sometimes faintly reddish; pedicels are unequal in length, 3–10 mm long.
The cremocarp is ovate-oblong, 3–4 mm long and 2 mm wide, ribbed; ridges bear wings bearing hooked spines or white bristles. Flowering occurs from May to July; fruiting from June to August.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows on hillsides, mountain slopes, roadsides, open fields, and cultivated land. It is distributed in China, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Growth Characteristics: The plant is cold- and drought-tolerant, prefers slightly acidic to neutral, fertile, well-drained soil and full sunlight, and thrives in fertile, moist, open habitats. It can be cultivated in both mountainous and plain regions. Seedlings can survive winter temperatures as low as −38 °C (−36.4 °F).
Characteristics of the Herb: The herb is a cremocarp—elliptic, mostly dehiscent, and splitting into a schizocarp (mericarp)—3–4 mm long and 1.5–2.5 mm wide. The surface is brownish-yellow or taupe-brown (grayish-brown); a residual stylopodium is present at the apex, and the base is blunt. There are four narrow aliform (wing-like) secondary ribs on the dorsal surface, with a dense row of horizontal yellowish-white hooked spines on the wings; the spines are approximately 1.5 mm long. An inconspicuous primary rib lies in the concave region between the secondary ribs, bearing scattered pubescence. The commissure of the schizocarps is relatively flat and bears three dark vertical vittae (oil ducts) and three arcuate vascular bundles; both are pubescent. The seeds are off-white and oily. The herb is lightweight, emits a distinctive aroma when crushed, and tastes slightly pungent followed by bitterness.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) Effects on the cardiovascular system; (2) Effects on smooth muscle.
Medicinal efficacy: Expelling and killing parasites; resolving food retention and Qi stagnation; relieving itching. It is indicated for ascariasis, oxyuriasis (enterobiasis), cestodiasis (taeniasis), ancylostomiasis (hookworm disease), enterozoic abdominal pain (abdominal pain due to parasitic infestation), infantile malnutrition-related food stagnation, and pruritus vulvae.
Administration of Fructus Carotae (Nán Hè Shī):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Fructus Carotae (Nán Hè Shī)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 3–9 grams, (2) Internally:water decoction, 6–9 grams; or prepared as pills or powder. Externally: Apply an appropriate amount as a fumigation wash using a water decoction.
✵The article records the herb Carrot Fruit—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—a single plant species, Daucus carota L., and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species; as well as the characteristics of the herb Carrot Fruit, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Nán Hè Shī.
Botanical Description: Daucus carota L. is commonly known as Yě Hú Luó Bo (“wild carrot”). It is a biennial herb growing up to 15–120 cm tall. The stem is solitary, and the whole plant is covered with white hirsute pubescence. Roots are slenderly conical, succulent, and yellowish-white. Basal leaves are membranous, oblong, bipinnatisect to tripinnatisect; terminal lobes are linear (filiform) or lanceolate, 2–15 mm long and 0.5–4 mm wide, acuminate with a small apiculate tip; surfaces are smooth or strigillose; petioles are 3–12 cm long. Cauline leaves are subsessile, with leaf sheaths; terminal lobes are small and slender.
The compound umbel is terminal; peduncles are 10–55 cm long, strigillose. Involucral bracts (phyllaries) are numerous, leaf-like, pinnately divided; lobes are linear (filiform), 3–30 mm long. Umbel rays are numerous; outer rays are recurved during fruiting. Involucel bractlets 5–7, linear (filiform), entire or 2–3-lobed; margins are membranous and ciliate. Flowers usually white, sometimes faintly reddish; pedicels are unequal in length, 3–10 mm long.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows on hillsides, mountain slopes, roadsides, open fields, and cultivated land. It is distributed in China, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
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