Introduction of Si Gua Luo:Luffa Vegetable Sponge or Retinervus Luffae Fructus.
✵The article gives records of the herb Luffa Vegetable Sponge, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem., ②.Luffa Acutangula (L.) Roxb., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of these two plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of these two plant species, the features of the herb Luffa Vegetable Sponge, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Sī Guā Luò.
English Name: Luffa Vegetable Sponge.
Latin Name: Retinervus Luffae Fructus.
Property and flavor: cool, sweet.
Brief introduction: The herb Retinervus Luffae Fructus is the dried vascular bundles of the ripe fruit of Luffa cylindrica(L.) Roem., used to dispel wind, unblock collateral meridians, and relieve toxins for treating rheumatalgia with muscular contracture, and also for treating mastitis. The herb is commonly known as Towel Gourd Vegetable Sponge, Vegetable Sponge of Luffa, Sī Guā Luò.
Botanical source: The herbal classic book defined the herb Retinervus Luffae Fructus (Luffa Vegetable Sponge) as the dried vascular bundles of (1).Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem. Other famous herbal classics defined the herb Retinervus Luffae Fructus (Luffa Vegetable Sponge) as the dried vascular bundles of (1).Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem., or (2).Luffa Acutangula (L.) Roxb. They are plants of the Luffa Mill. Genus, Cucurbitaceae family (cucumber, gourd, squash family), Cucurbitales order. These 2 commonly used species are introduced:
(1).Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem.
Botanical description: Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem is commonly known as Sī Guā. Annual climbing herb; stems and branches are coarse and rough, have ridges, and are puberulent. Stem tendrils are stout, pubescent, usually 2~4 branches (angulus). Leaves are alternate; petioles are rough, 10~12 cm long, glabrate; leaf blades are triangular or orbicular, average length and width are 10~20 cm, usually it is palmately 5-7 lobed, lobes are triangular, the middle part is longer, 8~12 cm long, the apex is pointed, the margin is serrate, the base is deeply cordate, the upper surface is dark green, has wart spots (wart points), the undersurface is pale green, pubescent, veins are palmate, covered with white pilose.
Flowers are separate (unisexual), and monoecious. Usually, 10~20 male flowers grow on the top of racemes, the peduncle is stout, 12~14 cm long, pilose; pedicels are 1~2 cm long; the calyx tube is campanulate (bell-shaped), 0.5~0.9 cm in diameter, pubescent, lobes are ovate-lanceolate or subtriangular, the upper end is reflexed outwardly, about 0.8~1.3 cm long, 0.4~0.7 cm wide, inside is densely pubescent, the margin is particularly conspicuous, outside is coatless, the apex is acuminate, 3-veined; corolla is yellow, rotate, 5~9 cm in diameter during the flowering phase, 5 lobes, lobes are oblong, 0.8~1.3 cm long, 0.4~0.7 cm wide, inner surface is densely yellow-white villous, outside has 3-5 protuberant veins, veins are densely pubescent, the apex is obtuse, the base is narrow; 5 stamens, rarely 3, filaments are 6~8 mm long, white pubescent at the base, slightly connivent in initial flowering, finally completely separated, anther cell is reflexed. Female flowers are solitary, pedicels are 2~10 cm long; the perianth of the female flower is the same as the male flower, 3 staminodes, the ovary is long terete, pilose, 3 stigmas, enlarged.
Fruits are terete, straight or slightly curved, 15~30 cm long, 5~8 cm in diameter, the surface is smooth, usually has dark vertical stripes, succulent when it is not mature, dry when it is mature, with reticular fibers inside, dehiscent by a lid at the tip. Seeds are many, black, oval (egg-shaped), flattened, and smooth, the margin is narrow-pterygoid (narrowly aliform). Its flowering and fruiting period is in summer and autumn.
Ecological environment: The plant grows and is cultivated all over the country of China. The loofah of a better grade is produced in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Growth characteristics: The plant luffa cylindrica prefers a warm climate, it is tolerant to high temperatures and high humidity, avoiding low temperatures. It has wide adaptability to the soil, and it is advisable to choose fields with deep soil layers, moist soil, and sandy loam with rich organic matter, should not choose barren soil.
Characters of herbs: The herb is made up of all filamentous vascular bundles interwoven vertically and horizontally. It is mostly long prismatic or oblong, slightly curved, slightly thinner at both ends, different in length, 30~70 cm in length, and 5~10 cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish-white, coarse and rough, with several shallow longitudinal grooves, and sometimes there are residual pericarp and membranous pulp. The herb is light, the texture of the herb is tough and elastic, and can't be broken, there are 3 hollow loculi on the fracture surface, occasionally has residual black seeds. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes mild. The herb of a better grade is big, complete, with clear collaterals, tough, light yellowish-white, and no seeds.
Medicinal efficacy: Free collaterals, activate blood circulation, dispel wind, clear heat and reduce phlegm, detoxify and detumescent (reduce swelling). It is indicated for arthralgia and constriction, distension and pain in the chest and hypochondrium, muscular constricture, alactation, abdominal pain, lumbago, testicular swelling and pain, lung heat and sputum cough, women's amenorrhea, carbuncle, hemorrhoid leakage. The charred herb can stop bleeding, indicated for bloody stool, flooding.
Administration of Retinervus Luffae Fructus (Sī Guā Luò):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Retinervus Luffae Fructus (Sī Guā Luò)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:4.5~9 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction, 1.5~3 qian (about 4.5~9 grams), or charred herb with its property retained, prepare to finely ground herb powder.Externally:charred herb with its property retained, prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply stick; ③.Internally:water decoction, 5~15 grams,or charred herb with its property retained,1.5~3 grams each time.Externally:proper amount,charred herb with its property retained, prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply stick.
(2).Luffa Acutangula (L.) Roxb.
Botanical description: Luffa Acutangula (L.) Roxb is commonly known as Léng Jiǎo Sī Guā. Its plant morphological characteristics are basically the same as Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem., but its stem has conspicuous edges and corners, and the lower part of stem tendrils also has edges; the male flower has 3 stamens, and one stamen has 1 cell, other 2 stamens are 2-loculed; the ovary has edges and corners, clavate and has no trichomes, fruit outside has 8~10 longitudinal ridges; the seed has no narrow-pterygoid edge, but the base is shallowly 2-lobed.
Ecological environment: The plant is cultivated mainly in the Zhujiang river area, China.
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References:
1.Introduction of Si Gua Luo:Luffa Vegetable Sponge or Retinervus Luffae Fructus.
✵The article gives records of the herb Luffa Vegetable Sponge, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem., ②.Luffa Acutangula (L.) Roxb., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of these two plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of these two plant species, the features of the herb Luffa Vegetable Sponge, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Sī Guā Luò.
Botanical description: Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem is commonly known as Sī Guā. Annual climbing herb; stems and branches are coarse and rough, have ridges, and are puberulent. Stem tendrils are stout, pubescent, usually 2~4 branches (angulus). Leaves are alternate; petioles are rough, 10~12 cm long, glabrate; leaf blades are triangular or orbicular, average length and width are 10~20 cm, usually it is palmately 5-7 lobed, lobes are triangular, the middle part is longer, 8~12 cm long, the apex is pointed, the margin is serrate, the base is deeply cordate, the upper surface is dark green, has wart spots (wart points), the undersurface is pale green, pubescent, veins are palmate, covered with white pilose.
Fruits are terete, straight or slightly curved, 15~30 cm long, 5~8 cm in diameter, the surface is smooth, usually has dark vertical stripes, succulent when it is not mature, dry when it is mature, with reticular fibers inside, dehiscent by a lid at the tip. Seeds are many, black, oval (egg-shaped), flattened, and smooth, the margin is narrow-pterygoid (narrowly aliform). Its flowering and fruiting period is in summer and autumn.
Characters of herbs: The herb is made up of all filamentous vascular bundles interwoven vertically and horizontally. It is mostly long prismatic or oblong, slightly curved, slightly thinner at both ends, different in length, 30~70 cm in length, and 5~10 cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish-white, coarse and rough, with several shallow longitudinal grooves, and sometimes there are residual pericarp and membranous pulp. The herb is light, the texture of the herb is tough and elastic, and can't be broken, there are 3 hollow loculi on the fracture surface, occasionally has residual black seeds. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes mild. The herb of a better grade is big, complete, with clear collaterals, tough, light yellowish-white, and no seeds.
Botanical description: Luffa Acutangula (L.) Roxb is commonly known as Léng Jiǎo Sī Guā. Its plant morphological characteristics are basically the same as Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem., but its stem has conspicuous edges and corners, and the lower part of stem tendrils also has edges; the male flower has 3 stamens, and one stamen has 1 cell, other 2 stamens are 2-loculed; the ovary has edges and corners, clavate and has no trichomes, fruit outside has 8~10 longitudinal ridges; the seed has no narrow-pterygoid edge, but the base is shallowly 2-lobed.
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