Introduction of Chuan Lian Zi: Szechwan Chinaberry
✵This article documents the herb Szechwan Chinaberry—including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor—its botanical source, i.e., the plant species Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc., along with a detailed description of its botanical features, growth characteristics, ecological environment, macroscopic herb characteristics, pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Fructus Toosendan (Szechwan Chinaberry)
Pinyin Name: Chuān Liàn Zǐ
English Name: Szechwan Chinaberry
Latin Name:Fructus Toosendan Properties and Flavor: Cold, bitter, mildly toxic
Brief Introduction:Fructus Toosendan is the dried, ripe fruit of Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc., used (1) to regulate Qi and relieve pain in the hypochondriac, epigastric, and abdominal regions, and (2) to expel parasitic worms in cases of enterobiasis and scabies. It is commonly known as Fructus Toosendan, Szechwan Chinaberry, Szechwan Chinaberry Fruit, or Chuān Liàn Zǐ.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Fructus Toosendan (Szechwan Chinaberry) as the dried, ripe fruit of Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc., a plant of the genus Melia Linn., family Meliaceae (mahogany family), order Rutales. This widely accepted species is described below:
(1) Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc.
Botanical Description:Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc. is commonly known as Chuān Liàn. It is a tree growing up to 10 meters tall or taller; the bark is taupe (dusty gray); young branches are densely covered with brown stellate scales, which disappear with age, leaving older branches dark red, lenticellate, and conspicuously marked with leaf scars (cicatrices). Leaves are bipinnate or tripinnate imparipinnate, approximately 35 cm long; pinnae occur in 4–5 pairs; leaflets (foliolules) are oval (egg-shaped) or narrowly ovate, 4–10 cm long and 2–4 cm wide, with entire margins or rarely sparsely serrated.
Panicles are axillary; the calyx is celadon (sage green), with 5–6 sepals (calyx lobes) and mauve (lilac) corolla lobes; there are 10 or 12 stamens, with filaments connate into a tubular (fistulose) structure.
The drupe is large, elliptic or subsphaeroidal (nearly spherical), about 3 cm long, yellow or chestnut brown; the endocarp is hard and ligneous (woody), ridged, and 6–8-loculed. Seeds are oblong-ovate and flattened. Flowering occurs from March to April; fruiting occurs from September to November.
Ecological Environment: The tree grows in groves (shaw, mixed deciduous woodland) and open forests, or in moist areas of plains and hilly regions; it is often cultivated near villages or along highways. It is distributed across China.
Growth characteristics:Melia toosendan prefers a warm, humid climate and full sun; it is not shade-tolerant and thrives at altitudes below 1,000 meters above sea level. Cultivation is best carried out in fields with ample sunlight, deep soil layers, and loose, fertile sandy loam.
Characteristics of the Herb: The drupe is nearly circular (subcircular) or spherical, 2–3.2 cm in diameter. The surface is golden yellow to brownish yellow, slightly glossy, wrinkled, or slightly depressed, and bears scattered dark brown dots. A remnant of the style persists at the apex; the base is concave and bears fruit-stalk scars. The exocarp is coriaceous and often separates from the pulp, leaving gaps; the pulp is loose and soft, primrose yellow (pale yellow), and becomes glutinous upon contact with water. The stone (endocarp) is globular or ovoid, firm and hard, with both ends truncate and bearing 6–8 longitudinal ridges; it is divided into 6–8 locules, each containing one blackish-brown, oblong seed. The herb has a distinctive odor and tastes sour and bitter.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) choleretic effect; (2) pronounced anthelmintic activity against Ascaris suum and leeches (Hirudo spp.); (3) in vitro bactericidal and antibacterial effects; (4) anti-inflammatory effect; (5) antitumor effect; etc.
Medicinal efficacy: Soothes the Liver and drains Heat, clears Damp-Heat, regulates Qi and alleviates pain, expels parasites. Indicated for Liver-Qi stagnation transforming into Fire, heat-induced syncope and cardiodynia (heartache), epigastric distension and pain, abdominal, hypochondriac, and lateral thoracic pain, hernial colic, tinea capitis, and abdominal pain due to parasitic infestation.
Administration of Fructus Toosendan (Chuān Liàn Zǐ):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Fructus Toosendan (Chuān Liàn Zǐ)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 5–10 grams. External use: appropriate amount, ground into fine powder and applied topically as a paste; (2) Internally: water decoction, 1.5–3 qian (≈4.5–9 grams), or prepared as pills or powder. External use: appropriate amount, ground into fine powder and applied topically as a plaster; (3) Internally: water decoction, 3–10 grams, or prepared as pills or powder. External use: appropriate amount, ground into fine powder and applied topically as a paste. For promoting Qi circulation and relieving pain, the stir-fried herb is preferred; for expelling parasites, the raw herb is recommended.
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1.Introduction of Chuan Lian Zi: Szechwan Chinaberry
✵This article documents the herb Szechwan Chinaberry—including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor—its botanical source, i.e., the plant species Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc., along with a detailed description of its botanical features, growth characteristics, ecological environment, macroscopic herb characteristics, pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Chuān Liàn Zǐ
Botanical Description: Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc. is commonly known as Chuān Liàn. It is a tree growing up to 10 meters tall or taller; the bark is taupe (dusty gray); young branches are densely covered with brown stellate scales, which disappear with age, leaving older branches dark red, lenticellate, and conspicuously marked with leaf scars (cicatrices). Leaves are bipinnate or tripinnate imparipinnate, approximately 35 cm long; pinnae occur in 4–5 pairs; leaflets (foliolules) are oval (egg-shaped) or narrowly ovate, 4–10 cm long and 2–4 cm wide, with entire margins or rarely sparsely serrated.
Ecological Environment: The tree grows in groves (shaw, mixed deciduous woodland) and open forests, or in moist areas of plains and hilly regions; it is often cultivated near villages or along highways. It is distributed across China.
Characteristics of the Herb: The drupe is nearly circular (subcircular) or spherical, 2–3.2 cm in diameter. The surface is golden yellow to brownish yellow, slightly glossy, wrinkled, or slightly depressed, and bears scattered dark brown dots. A remnant of the style persists at the apex; the base is concave and bears fruit-stalk scars. The exocarp is coriaceous and often separates from the pulp, leaving gaps; the pulp is loose and soft, primrose yellow (pale yellow), and becomes glutinous upon contact with water. The stone (endocarp) is globular or ovoid, firm and hard, with both ends truncate and bearing 6–8 longitudinal ridges; it is divided into 6–8 locules, each containing one blackish-brown, oblong seed. The herb has a distinctive odor and tastes sour and bitter.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) choleretic effect; (2) pronounced anthelmintic activity against Ascaris suum and leeches (Hirudo spp.); (3) in vitro bactericidal and antibacterial effects; (4) anti-inflammatory effect; (5) antitumor effect; etc.
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