Introduction of Sweet Almond:Sweet Amygdalus kernel or Prunus amygdalus Dulcis.
✵The article gives records of the herb Sweet Almond, its English name, Latin name, common names, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Prunus amygdalus Batsch., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Sweet Almond, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Sweet Almond(Sweet Amygdalus kernel).
English Name: Almond,Sweet.
Latin Name: Prunus amygdalus(Mill.)D.A.Webb.
Common Names: Sweet Almond, Sweet Amygdalus kernel, Ba Dan Xinɡ Ren
Property and flavor: neutral in nature, tastes bitter and sweet, mild toxic.
Brief introduction: The flowering tree Prunus amygdalus is a deciduous tree of the rose family, native to Western Asia, it has been used for thousands of years. It is not an almond, but a tree of the Amygdalus subgenus.
Botanical source: The common herbal classics defined the herb Sweet Almond as the fruit of the species (1).Prunus amygdalus Batsch. It is a plant species of the Amygdalus Subgenus, the Rosaceae family (rose family). The seed is used medicinally. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Prunus amygdalus Batsch.
Botanical description: Prunus amygdalus Batsch is deciduous trees or shrubs, it grows up to 2~8 meters high. Branches are upright or explanate, with many short branches, annual branches are light brown, and perennial branches are grayish brown to grayish black. Leaves on annual branches alternate with each other, and leaves on short branches are often clustered; the petiole is 1~2.5 cm long, and there are usually 2~4 glands at the base of the leaf blade and petiole. The leaf blade is lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, 3~9 cm long and 1~2.5 cm wide, the apex is pointed to short acuminate, the base is broadly cuneate to round, the edge is shallowly dentate. Flowers are hermaphroditic and solitary, flowering before leaves growing; Calyx tube is cylindric; 5 sepals, broadly oblong to broadly lanceolate, margin is pilose; 5 petals, oblong, 1.5~2 cm long, rounded or slightly concave apex, base gradually narrowed into claw, white to pink. Stamens are numerous, varying in length; the style is longer than stamens, the ovary is densely covered with villous hairs. The fruit is obliquely oval or oblong, flat, 3~4.3 cm long and 2~3 cm in diameter, and the outside is densely pubescent; The fruit pulp is thin and cracks when it is ripe; The seed is oval, broadly oval, asymmetric on both sides, with honeycomb holes on the surface. The tree flowering from March to April and fruiting from July to August.
Ecological environment: Prunus amygdalus is native to western Asia, it grows in the mountainous areas at low to medium altitudes, and is common on the stony arid slopes. Nowadays, it is cultivated in many areas of the old and new continents, especially in warm and arid areas. It is now widely cultivated in California of USA (the United States of America), Italy, Spain, and East Asia.
Growth characteristics: Prunus amygdalus prefers sandy loam with a deep soil layer and good ventilation, but it can grow on barren land, can grow in gravel soil, sandy soil, clay loam, lime soil, and saline-alkali soil. It prefers light.
Characters of herbs: The seed used medicinally is mainly from two species of the Amygdalus, Prunus amygdalus Dulcis, and Prunus amygdalus Amara.
Sweet Amygdalus kernel: it is the dried seed of sweet Amygdalus, or Prunus amygdalus Dulcis, which is a long oval, and flat, about 2~3 cm long, 10~16 mm wide, and 8 mm thick. Its seed coat is thin, reddish-brown, powdery, and sharp on one side. Its edge is round, with a linear umbilical point at the top, and a chalaza at the base. From the chalaza, many vascular bundles are distributed to the tip, forming dark furrows. The embryo is straight, white-like, and consists of a plano-convex cotyledon, and an enclosed hypocotyl and radicle, the latter is located at the sharp end. The seed is odorless and sweet, it has no odor when it is ground into an emulsion.
Bitter Amygdalus kernel: It is the dried seed of the plant bitter Amygdalus, or Prunus amygdalus Amara. Its appearance is similar to sweet Amygdalus, but it is smaller and irregular. It is usually 2 cm long, 12 mm wide and 8 mm thick. It tastes bitter, it has a specific odor when it is crushed into an emulsion.
Pharmacological actions: ①.Effects on the circulatory system, ②.anticoagulation and thrombosis actions, ③.anti-inflammation, ④.anti-allergy, ⑤.intestinal lubrication and relieve defecation, ⑥.antitussive (relieve cough), ⑦.Aid uterine contraction, ⑧.postpartum uterine rejuvenation, ⑨.hemostasis, ⑩.analgesia, ⑾.and seed oil has an anthelmintic effect. ⑿.Other actions identified by studies are: emollient and demulcent properties which can soften, soothe, and protect skin and mucous membranes, and is likely to be effective as a laxative; Lower cholesterol levels, and possibly help to prevent heart disease, there are a few experiments in California of USA during 1990 support this cholesterol-lowering action.
Medicinal efficacy: Activating blood circulation, removing blood stasis, and relaxing bowels. It is indicated for dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain), amenorrhea due to blood stasis, postpartum abdominal pain due to blood stasis, traumatic injury, swelling and pain due to blood stasis, lung pain, and intestinal pain, constipation due to intestinal dryness.
Administration of Sweet Almond(Sweet Amygdalus kernel):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Sweet Almond(Sweet Amygdalus kernel)
Herbal classics and TCM Book:
Oral administration: decoction, 6~10 grams. Cracked before using; Or prepare to pill or powder. The wrap-boiling method is needed to prepare frostlike powder. Common dosage recommended in North America: sweet almond is used as a laxative in doses up to 30 mL(milliliters). A handful of meal is used as a face scrub, and is rubbed onto dry skin.
Experts consider both sweet almond oil and sweet almond meal are safe to use, and neither appears to irritate nor sensitize human skin. As with any food, an allergic reaction is always a risk.
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1.Introduction of Sweet Almond:Sweet Amygdalus kernel or Prunus amygdalus Dulcis.
✵The article gives records of the herb Sweet Almond, its English name, Latin name, common names, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Prunus amygdalus Batsch., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Sweet Almond, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
English Name: Almond,Sweet.
Botanical description: Prunus amygdalus Batsch is deciduous trees or shrubs, it grows up to 2~8 meters high. Branches are upright or explanate, with many short branches, annual branches are light brown, and perennial branches are grayish brown to grayish black. Leaves on annual branches alternate with each other, and leaves on short branches are often clustered; the petiole is 1~2.5 cm long, and there are usually 2~4 glands at the base of the leaf blade and petiole. The leaf blade is lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, 3~9 cm long and 1~2.5 cm wide, the apex is pointed to short acuminate, the base is broadly cuneate to round, the edge is shallowly dentate. Flowers are hermaphroditic and solitary, flowering before leaves growing; Calyx tube is cylindric; 5 sepals, broadly oblong to broadly lanceolate, margin is pilose; 5 petals, oblong, 1.5~2 cm long, rounded or slightly concave apex, base gradually narrowed into claw, white to pink. Stamens are numerous, varying in length; the style is longer than stamens, the ovary is densely covered with villous hairs. The fruit is obliquely oval or oblong, flat, 3~4.3 cm long and 2~3 cm in diameter, and the outside is densely pubescent; The fruit pulp is thin and cracks when it is ripe; The seed is oval, broadly oval, asymmetric on both sides, with honeycomb holes on the surface. The tree flowering from March to April and fruiting from July to August.
Ecological environment: Prunus amygdalus is native to western Asia, it grows in the mountainous areas at low to medium altitudes, and is common on the stony arid slopes. Nowadays, it is cultivated in many areas of the old and new continents, especially in warm and arid areas. It is now widely cultivated in California of USA (the United States of America), Italy, Spain, and East Asia.
Characters of herbs: The seed used medicinally is mainly from two species of the Amygdalus, Prunus amygdalus Dulcis, and Prunus amygdalus Amara.
Bitter Amygdalus kernel: It is the dried seed of the plant bitter Amygdalus, or Prunus amygdalus Amara. Its appearance is similar to sweet Amygdalus, but it is smaller and irregular. It is usually 2 cm long, 12 mm wide and 8 mm thick. It tastes bitter, it has a specific odor when it is crushed into an emulsion.
Pharmacological actions: ①.Effects on the circulatory system, ②.anticoagulation and thrombosis actions, ③.anti-inflammation, ④.anti-allergy, ⑤.intestinal lubrication and relieve defecation, ⑥.antitussive (relieve cough), ⑦.Aid uterine contraction, ⑧.postpartum uterine rejuvenation, ⑨.hemostasis, ⑩.analgesia, ⑾.and seed oil has an anthelmintic effect. ⑿.Other actions identified by studies are: emollient and demulcent properties which can soften, soothe, and protect skin and mucous membranes, and is likely to be effective as a laxative; Lower cholesterol levels, and possibly help to prevent heart disease, there are a few experiments in California of USA during 1990 support this cholesterol-lowering action.
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