Pinyin: Sharen
Aliases
Suoshami, Suosha Ren.
Source
Zingiberaceae plant Amomum villosumAmomumvillosumDried ripe fruit of *Lour*.
Botanical Description
A perennial erect herb, 1.2-2 m tall. Rhizome cylindrical, creeping along the ground, with sheathing membranous scales at the nodes. Buds bright red, conical. Stem erect, cylindrical. Leaves sessile or subsessile; ligule semicircular, 3-5 mm long, brownish-red or sometimes green; leaves in 2 rows, narrowly oblong-elliptic or lanceolate, 15-40 cm long, 2-5 cm wide, apex caudate-acuminate, base attenuate or subrounded, entire, glabrous on both surfaces or sometimes with fine hairs beneath. Scape arising from the rhizome, 7-15 cm long; peduncle 3-10 cm long, finely pubescent; scales membranous, elliptic, brown or green, 0.8-2.5 cm long, apex obtuse-rounded, base often connate into a tube; spike elliptic, involucral bracts membranous, oblong-elliptic; bracts tubular, white, membranous, apex 2-cleft; calyx tubular, white, apex with 3 shallow teeth; corolla tube slender, white, 1.8-2.0 cm long; lip round-spatulate, white, 1.6-2.0 cm long and wide, central part slightly thickened, pale yellow or yellowish-green, with red spots, apex shallowly 2-lobed, reflexed; lateral staminodes 2, situated at the base of the lip. Capsule elliptic, 1.5-2 cm long, ca. 1.5 cm in diameter, with unbranched soft spines, brownish-red. Seeds numerous, clustered together, with a strong aroma. Flowering from March to May, fruiting from July to September.
Habitat and Distribution
Born in warm, humid climates in shaded, damp areas under forests in mountain valleys rich in humus. Distributed in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and other regions.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvest in summer and autumn when the fruit is ripe, sun-dry or dry at low temperature.
Medicinal Properties
Fruit ellipsoidal, ovoid, or ovate, with indistinct 3 obtuse ridges. Length 1.2-2.5 cm, diameter 0.8-1.8 cm, surface red-brown or brownish-brown, densely covered with curved spinous protrusions, longitudinal ridge-like vascular bundles faintly visible, apex with protruding perianth remnants, base with fruit stalk scar or fruit stalk; pericarp relatively thin, easily splitting longitudinally, inner surface pale brown, with clearly visible longitudinal vascular bundles and thin septa, axile placenta, 3-locular, each locule containing 6-20 seeds, seeds clustered into masses. Seeds irregularly polygonal, length 2-5 mm, diameter 1.5-4 mm, surface red-brown to blackish-brown, with irregular wrinkles, covered with a pale brown membranous aril, hilum depressed at the smaller end, chalaza at the larger end, raphe depressed forming a longitudinal groove. Odor aromatic and intense. Taste acrid, cool, and slightly bitter.
Chemical Constituents
This product contains camphor.β-β-bisabolene, bornyl acetate, germacrene,α- Contains components such as farnesene.
Pharmacology
Anti-platelet aggregation; dilates blood vessels; inhibits pepsin activity; inhibits gastric acid secretion; promotes intestinal motility; analgesia, etc.
Properties and Channel Entry
Acrid, warm. Enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Kidney channels.
Functions and Indications
Dissolves Dampness and opens the Stomach, warms the Spleen and stops diarrhea, regulates Qi and calms the fetus. Used for obstruction by turbid Dampness in the middle burner, epigastric fullness with loss of appetite, Spleen-Stomach Deficiency Cold, vomiting and diarrhea, morning sickness during pregnancy, and restless fetus.
Dosage and Administration
Oral: decoct in water, 3-6 g; add later; or made into pills or powder.
Precautions and Contraindications
Contraindicated in patients with Yin deficiency with Heat.
Prescriptions
1. For promoting digestion, harmonizing the Middle Jiao, directing Qi downward, and stopping epigastric and abdominal pain: stir-fry Amomum villosum (Sha Ren) until fragrant, grind into powder, place in a cloth bag, steep in wine, and take warm. (From Compendium of Materia Medica, Suo Sha Wine) 2. For treating fish bone stuck in the throat: Amomum villosum (Sha Ren) 4.5 g and Clematis chinensis (Wei Ling Xian) 4.5 g. Add two cups of water and half a bowl of rock sugar, decoct to one cup. Hold in the mouth and swallow slowly, repeating four to five times until the bone is expelled. (From Yang Ke Xuan Cui, San Xian Tang) 3. For persistent toothache: chew Amomum villosum (Sha Ren) frequently. (From Zhi Zhi Fang) 4. For mouth sores: calcine Amomum villosum (Sha Ren) over fire until it retains its form, grind into powder, and apply to the affected area. (From Yang Yi Da Quan)
