✵The article records the herb Tsaoko, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, botanical source—namely, the single plant species Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire—and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species, as well as the morphological features of the herb Tsaoko, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Fructus Tsaoko (Tsaoko,Caoguo)
Pinyin Name: Cǎo Guǒ
English Name: Tsaoko,Caoguo
Latin Name:Fructus Tsaoko Property and Flavor: Warm; pungent
Brief Introduction:Fructus Tsaoko is the dried, ripe fruit of Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire. It is used (1) to dispel dampness and warm the stomach in cases of epigastric distension, vomiting, and abdominal pain, and (2) to treat malaria. The herb is commonly known as Tsaoko Amomum Fruit, Fructus Tsaoko, Caoguo, or Cǎo Guǒ.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal texts define Fructus Tsaoko (Tsaoko, Caoguo) as the dried, ripe fruit of Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire—a perennial herb belonging to the genus Amomum, family Zingiberaceae (the ginger family), and order Zingiberales. This widely used species is described below:
(1) Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire.
Botanical Description:Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire is also known as Amomum hongtsaoko C. F. Liang et D. Fang and Amomum guixiense D. Fang; it is commonly called Cǎo Guǒ. A perennial herb, it grows up to 2–2.5 meters tall. The whole plant emits a pungent, spicy aroma. The stem base is enlarged, reaching up to 6 cm in diameter. Leaves are arranged in two rows (11–14 per plant), sessile, or the upper leaves are short-stipitate; the ligule (paraphyll) is purplish, 1–2 cm long, membranous, and sparsely pilose; the leaf sheath is striate, and both the ligule margin and leaf sheath are somewhat coriaceous; leaf blades are oblong-lanceolate to ovate, 20–83 cm long and 5–19 cm wide, with a long-acuminate apex and cuneate base; margins are entire, and both surfaces are glabrous.
Scapes arise from the stem base, measuring 13–28 cm in length; peduncles are 4–13 cm long; scales are broadly ovate, 1–8 cm long; spikes are 9–15 cm long; bracts are faintly red (rose-colored), oblong, 3.3–4 cm long and 7–9 mm wide, sparsely pubescent on the outer surface; bracteoles are fistuliform (tubular), 1.7–2 cm long and 2-lobed, sparsely pubescent externally; flowers are salmon-pink (pale orange), 5.5–7 cm long; pedicels are no longer than 5 mm; the calyx is 2.3–3 cm long, 3-dentate, with one side lobed, and either glabrate or sparsely pubescent; the corolla tube is 2.5–2.8 cm long and pubescent; lobes are oblong, ~2.3 cm long and ~6 mm wide; the posterior lobe is cucullate (hood-shaped), ~2.5 cm long and ~1.5 cm wide; the labellum is oblong-obovate, 3–3.5 cm long and ~1.6 cm wide, with a mostly wrinkled margin and a red stripe on each side of the midrib; stamens are 2–2.5 cm long; filaments are ~1 cm long; anthers are 1.3–1.5 cm long; septum appendages are ~5 mm long and bear eroded teeth; the style is sparsely pubescent; the stigma is funnel-shaped; the ovary is glabrous.
The capsule fruit is dark purple at maturity, subglobular (nearly spherical), 2.5–4.5 cm long and 2–2.5 cm in diameter; when dried, it assumes an olive shape and becomes pitchy (dark brown); the apex bears a remnant perianth tube, and the base is short-stipitate. Seeds are numerous. Flowering occurs from April to May; fruiting occurs from August to September.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in woodland areas along ditch sides.
Growth Characteristics:Amomum hongtsaoko prefers a warm, moist climate and is sensitive to excessive heat, drought, and frost. It thrives at altitudes of 1,000–2,000 meters above sea level, under an annual average temperature of 18–20 °C (64.4–68 °F), with ~50–60% shade, in forested or riverside, valley-slope habitats. Cultivation is best carried out in loose, fertile, humus-rich sandy loam soil.
Characteristics of the Herb: The fruit is elliptic, 2–4.5 cm long and 1–2.5 cm in diameter. The surface is brown or reddish-brown, with three blunt edges and prominent longitudinal grooves and ridges. The apex bears a rounded, protruding stylopodium; the base bears a carpopodium (fruit stalk) or a stalk scar. The pericarp is firm and tough, and readily splits longitudinally. Upon removing the pericarp, a yellow-brown diaphragm is visible in the center, dividing the seed mass into three loculi; each loculus contains 7–24 seeds, typically 8–11. The seeds are conical and polyhedral, 5–7 mm in diameter. Their surface is yellow-brown or reddish-brown, covered by an ash-gray (grayish-white), membranous aril; the chalaza is concave and centrally located; the hilum is a round, fossiform structure on the ventral surface at the narrower end; and the raphe is sunken into a longitudinal groove. The herb has an aromatic fragrance and tastes pungent, spicy, and slightly bitter. Higher-grade herb material is large, plump, reddish-brown, and strongly fragrant.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) anti-inflammatory; (2) antitussive and expectorant; (3) antifungal; (4) analgesic, antipyretic, and antiasthmatic; (5) antibacterial, antifungal, and anthelmintic (effective against Ascaris spp. in guinea pigs), among others.
Medicinal efficacy: Dries dampness and warms the middle energizer; dispels cold; transforms phlegm; and relieves malaria. It is indicated for internal accumulation of cold-damp, epigastric distension and pain, cold abdominal pain, chest and epigastric fullness and oppression, nausea and vomiting, phlegm-damp retention, diaphragmatic obstruction, cold-heat malaria, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, and indigestion (dyspepsia).
Administration of Fructus Tsaoko (Cǎo Guǒ):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Fructus Tsaoko (Cǎo Guǒ)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 3–6 grams; (2) Internally: water decoction, 0.8–1.5 qian (≈2.4–4.5 grams), or prepared as pills or powder; (3) Internally: water decoction, 3–6 grams, or prepared as pills or powder.
Precautions and Adverse Reactions: Iron utensils should be avoided when processing Fructus Tsaoko.
✵The article records the herb Tsaoko, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, botanical source—namely, the single plant species Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire—and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species, as well as the morphological features of the herb Tsaoko, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Cǎo Guǒ
Botanical Description: Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire is also known as Amomum hongtsaoko C. F. Liang et D. Fang and Amomum guixiense D. Fang; it is commonly called Cǎo Guǒ. A perennial herb, it grows up to 2–2.5 meters tall. The whole plant emits a pungent, spicy aroma. The stem base is enlarged, reaching up to 6 cm in diameter. Leaves are arranged in two rows (11–14 per plant), sessile, or the upper leaves are short-stipitate; the ligule (paraphyll) is purplish, 1–2 cm long, membranous, and sparsely pilose; the leaf sheath is striate, and both the ligule margin and leaf sheath are somewhat coriaceous; leaf blades are oblong-lanceolate to ovate, 20–83 cm long and 5–19 cm wide, with a long-acuminate apex and cuneate base; margins are entire, and both surfaces are glabrous.
Scapes arise from the stem base, measuring 13–28 cm in length; peduncles are 4–13 cm long; scales are broadly ovate, 1–8 cm long; spikes are 9–15 cm long; bracts are faintly red (rose-colored), oblong, 3.3–4 cm long and 7–9 mm wide, sparsely pubescent on the outer surface; bracteoles are fistuliform (tubular), 1.7–2 cm long and 2-lobed, sparsely pubescent externally; flowers are salmon-pink (pale orange), 5.5–7 cm long; pedicels are no longer than 5 mm; the calyx is 2.3–3 cm long, 3-dentate, with one side lobed, and either glabrate or sparsely pubescent; the corolla tube is 2.5–2.8 cm long and pubescent; lobes are oblong, ~2.3 cm long and ~6 mm wide; the posterior lobe is cucullate (hood-shaped), ~2.5 cm long and ~1.5 cm wide; the labellum is oblong-obovate, 3–3.5 cm long and ~1.6 cm wide, with a mostly wrinkled margin and a red stripe on each side of the midrib; stamens are 2–2.5 cm long; filaments are ~1 cm long; anthers are 1.3–1.5 cm long; septum appendages are ~5 mm long and bear eroded teeth; the style is sparsely pubescent; the stigma is funnel-shaped; the ovary is glabrous.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in woodland areas along ditch sides.
Characteristics of the Herb: The fruit is elliptic, 2–4.5 cm long and 1–2.5 cm in diameter. The surface is brown or reddish-brown, with three blunt edges and prominent longitudinal grooves and ridges. The apex bears a rounded, protruding stylopodium; the base bears a carpopodium (fruit stalk) or a stalk scar. The pericarp is firm and tough, and readily splits longitudinally. Upon removing the pericarp, a yellow-brown diaphragm is visible in the center, dividing the seed mass into three loculi; each loculus contains 7–24 seeds, typically 8–11. The seeds are conical and polyhedral, 5–7 mm in diameter. Their surface is yellow-brown or reddish-brown, covered by an ash-gray (grayish-white), membranous aril; the chalaza is concave and centrally located; the hilum is a round, fossiform structure on the ventral surface at the narrower end; and the raphe is sunken into a longitudinal groove. The herb has an aromatic fragrance and tastes pungent, spicy, and slightly bitter. Higher-grade herb material is large, plump, reddish-brown, and strongly fragrant.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) anti-inflammatory; (2) antitussive and expectorant; (3) antifungal; (4) analgesic, antipyretic, and antiasthmatic; (5) antibacterial, antifungal, and anthelmintic (effective against Ascaris spp. in guinea pigs), among others.
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