Introduction of Mu Gua: Common Flowering-quince Fruit
✵This article records the herb Common Flowering-quince Fruit, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—namely one plant species: (1) Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai—with a detailed introduction to its botanical features, growth characteristics, ecological environment, herb characteristics, pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Mù Guā
English Name: Common Flowering-quince Fruit
Latin Name:Fructus Chaenomelis Property and Flavor: warm, sour
Brief Introduction:Fructus Chaenomelis is the dried, ripe fruit of Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai, used (1) to soothe the tendons and unblock the collaterals for treating wind-damp arthralgia with contracture, and (2) to dispel dampness and harmonize the stomach for treating vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal distension. It is commonly known as Fructus Chaenomelis, Common Flowering-quince Fruit, or Mù Guā.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Fructus Chaenomelis (Common Flowering-quince Fruit) as the dried, ripe fruit of (1) Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai—a plant of the genus Chaenomeles, family Rosaceae (rose family), order Rosales. This commonly used species is described below:
(1) Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai.
Botanical Description:Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai is also known as Chaenomeles lagenaria (Loisel.) Koidz.; it is commonly called Tiē Gěng Hǎi Táng or Tiē Gěng Mù Guā. It is a deciduous shrub, growing up to about 2 m tall. Branches are erect and spreading, spiny; branchlets are cylindrical, slightly flexuous, glabrous, purplish-brown or blackish-brown, and bear sparse, sandy-beige lenticels. Leaf blades are ovate to elliptic, rarely oblong-ovate, 3–9 cm long and 1.5–5 cm wide; the base is cuneate to broadly cuneate; the margin is sharply serrate, with teeth directed outward; the upper surface is glabrous, while the lower surface is glabrous or pubescent along the veins; petioles are ca. 1 cm long; stipules are large, herbaceous, reniform or semicircular, with a sharply double-serrate margin, and glabrous.
Flowers bloom before leaves; 3–5 flowers cluster on biennial old branches. Pedicels are short and thick, about 3 mm long or subsessile. Flowers are 3–5 cm in diameter. The calyx tube is campanulate (bell-shaped) and glabrous externally. Sepals (calyx lobes) are erect, with blunt apices and entire or corrugated margins. Petals are obovate or orbicular, with bases extended into short claws; they measure 10–15 mm in length and 8–13 mm in width, and are scarlet red—rarely pale red or white. There are 40–50 stamens, approximately half the length of the petals. There are five styles, basally connate, glabrous or sparsely hirsutulous (slightly pilose); stigmas are capitate, with inconspicuous fissures, and approximately equal in length to the stamens.
Fruits are spherical or ovoid, 4–6 cm in diameter, yellow or greenish-yellow, bearing sparse and inconspicuous spots, and aromatic. Sepals abscise; fruit pedicels are short or subsessile. Flowering occurs from March to May; fruiting occurs from September to October.
Ecological Environment: The tree grows wild in fields or is cultivated.
Growth Characteristics:Chaenomeles speciosa prefers a warm and humid climate; soil requirements are not strict, and it can be grown in warmer southern regions.
Characteristics of the Herb: The fruit is oblong, often split into two halves, 4–9 cm long, 2–5 cm wide, and 1–2.5 cm thick. The outer surface is purplish-red or reddish-brown and bears irregular, deep wrinkles (deeply furrowed). The margin of the cross-section is involute (rolled inward); the pulp is reddish-brown, and the central portion is sunken and brown. Seeds are flattened, triangular, mostly shed, and have a firm, hard texture. The herb has a slightly fragrant odor and a sour taste.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) marked anti-inflammatory (swelling-reducing) effect; (2) relief of gastrointestinal and limb muscle spasm; (3) hepatoprotective effect; (4) antibacterial activity; (5) inhibition of macrophage phagocytosis.
Medicinal efficacy: Soothes the liver and relaxes tendons; dispels dampness and unblocks collaterals; harmonizes the stomach and resolves dampness. It is indicated for damp-induced numbness and spasm, heavy and painful limbs, vomiting and diarrhea, muscular spasm and contracture, fixed-damp arthralgia, beriberi, edema, and dysentery.
Administration of Fructus Chaenomelis (Mù Guā):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Fructus Chaenomelis (Mù Guā)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally:6–9 grams; (2) Internally:decoction in water, 1.5–3 qián (≈4.5–9 grams), or prepared as pills or powder. External use: fumigation and wash with decoction. (3) Internally: decoction in water, 5–10 grams, or prepared as pills or powder. External use: fumigation and wash with decoction.
Contraindications, Precautions, and Adverse Reactions: Excessive dosage should be avoided, as it may damage teeth and bones.
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1.Introduction of Mu Gua: Common Flowering-quince Fruit
✵This article records the herb Common Flowering-quince Fruit, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—namely one plant species: (1) Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai—with a detailed introduction to its botanical features, growth characteristics, ecological environment, herb characteristics, pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Mù Guā
Botanical Description: Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai is also known as Chaenomeles lagenaria (Loisel.) Koidz.; it is commonly called Tiē Gěng Hǎi Táng or Tiē Gěng Mù Guā. It is a deciduous shrub, growing up to about 2 m tall. Branches are erect and spreading, spiny; branchlets are cylindrical, slightly flexuous, glabrous, purplish-brown or blackish-brown, and bear sparse, sandy-beige lenticels. Leaf blades are ovate to elliptic, rarely oblong-ovate, 3–9 cm long and 1.5–5 cm wide; the base is cuneate to broadly cuneate; the margin is sharply serrate, with teeth directed outward; the upper surface is glabrous, while the lower surface is glabrous or pubescent along the veins; petioles are ca. 1 cm long; stipules are large, herbaceous, reniform or semicircular, with a sharply double-serrate margin, and glabrous.
Flowers bloom before leaves; 3–5 flowers cluster on biennial old branches. Pedicels are short and thick, about 3 mm long or subsessile. Flowers are 3–5 cm in diameter. The calyx tube is campanulate (bell-shaped) and glabrous externally. Sepals (calyx lobes) are erect, with blunt apices and entire or corrugated margins. Petals are obovate or orbicular, with bases extended into short claws; they measure 10–15 mm in length and 8–13 mm in width, and are scarlet red—rarely pale red or white. There are 40–50 stamens, approximately half the length of the petals. There are five styles, basally connate, glabrous or sparsely hirsutulous (slightly pilose); stigmas are capitate, with inconspicuous fissures, and approximately equal in length to the stamens.
Fruits are spherical or ovoid, 4–6 cm in diameter, yellow or greenish-yellow, bearing sparse and inconspicuous spots, and aromatic. Sepals abscise; fruit pedicels are short or subsessile. Flowering occurs from March to May; fruiting occurs from September to October.
Characteristics of the Herb: The fruit is oblong, often split into two halves, 4–9 cm long, 2–5 cm wide, and 1–2.5 cm thick. The outer surface is purplish-red or reddish-brown and bears irregular, deep wrinkles (deeply furrowed). The margin of the cross-section is involute (rolled inward); the pulp is reddish-brown, and the central portion is sunken and brown. Seeds are flattened, triangular, mostly shed, and have a firm, hard texture. The herb has a slightly fragrant odor and a sour taste.
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