Pinyin: Dafengzi
Aliases
Dafengzi, Mafengzi, Quchong dafengzi
Source
Flacourtiaceae plant *Hydnocarpus hainanensis*HydnocarpushainanensisDried mature seeds of (Merr.) Sleum.
Botanical Description
Tree, 6-9 m tall. Leaves alternate; petiole approximately 1.5 cm long; leaf blade papery or thinly leathery, oblong-elliptic, 8-14 cm long, 3-6 cm wide, apex abruptly short-acuminate and obtuse, base cuneate, margin entire or irregularly undulate-serrate; lateral veins slender, 7-8 per side. Racemes axillary, 1-1.5 cm long, glabrous. Male flowers: dense; sepals 4, elliptic; petals 4, reniform-ovate, margin ciliate; stamens 12, filaments sparsely pubescent, anthers rounded. Female flowers: perianth similar to male but slightly larger; staminodes approximately 15; ovary ovoid-ellipsoid, densely yellow-tomentose, 1-loculed, parietal placentae 5, ovules numerous; style absent, stigma 3-lobed. Berry globose, 4-7 cm in diameter, densely brown-pubescent, pericarp leathery, containing approximately 20 seeds, slightly triangular-ovoid, approximately 1.5 cm long. Flowering April to September, fruiting May to October.
Habitat and Distribution
It grows in semi-shaded areas of sparse mountain forests and limestone mountain forests. Distributed in Hainan, Guangxi and other regions.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvest from October to December when the peel of some fruits on the tree begins to crack, then collect all fruits, spread them out until the pulp softens, remove the peel, wash the seeds clean, and dry them in the sun.
Medicinal Properties
This product is slightly tetrahedral, with one side raised and three sides slightly flat; 1-2 cm long, 0.5-1 cm wide. The surface is yellowish-white to grayish-brown, with numerous raised longitudinal veins, and the hilum is located at one end of the seed. The seed coat is hard and brittle, 0.5 mm thick, and easily broken. The kernel is irregularly oblong-ovoid, covered with a dark purplish-brown film with fine wrinkles; the endosperm is blackish-brown, and the cotyledon is heart-shaped, slightly pointed, and lighter in color.
Chemical Constituents
This product contains oil, with the main component being chaulmoogric acid.
Pharmacology
Inhibits Microsporum audouinii; lowers blood lipids; anti-inflammatory; anti-tumor.
Properties and Channel Entry
Acrid, hot; toxic. Enters the Liver and Spleen channels.
Functions and Indications
Expels Wind, dries Dampness, attacks toxins, and kills parasites. Indicated for leprosy, syphilitic skin lesions, scabies and tinea, rosacea, and acne.
Dosage and Administration
External use: apply an appropriate amount, mash and apply; or calcine until the property is retained, grind into powder, and mix with a suitable medium for application. Internal use: taken in pill or powder form, 0.3-1 g per dose.
Precautions and Contraindications
This product is highly toxic and irritating; generally, it is only used externally, and internal use should be approached with caution. If internal administration is necessary, it must be diluted in a compound formula and should not be used in excessive amounts or continuously. External use should also not be excessive or prolonged. It is contraindicated in patients with Yin deficiency and Blood Heat, gastrointestinal inflammation, or eye conditions. Poisoning from this product may present with symptoms such as dizziness, headache, chest and abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness in the limbs, and generalized fever; in severe cases, it may cause hemolysis, proteinuria and casts, and fatty degeneration of the liver.
Prescriptions
1. For wind sores with dry itching, scabies and tinea: Da Feng Zi (Hydrocarpus anthelmintica seed kernel) 15 g, Qing Fen (Calomel) and Ku Fan (Alumen praeparata) a small amount each. Grind the above into a paste and apply to the sores. (Zheng Zhi Zhun Sheng - Yang Yi, Feng Shi Gao) 2. For tinea over the entire body and face: Da Feng Zi (Hydrocarpus anthelmintica seed kernel) and Bing Lang (Areca catechu seed) 15 g each, Ming Liu Huang (Sulfur) 9 g. Boil in vinegar, apply while warm. (Xian Nian Ji, San Xian San) 3. For tinea and various itchy sores: Da Feng Zi (Hydrocarpus anthelmintica seed kernel) 9 g, Tu Liu Huang (native sulfur) 6 g, Ku Fan (Alumen praeparata) 3 g, Ming Xiong Huang (Realgar) 6 g. Grind together into powder, mix with lamp oil and apply. (Xue Zheng Lun, Da Feng Dan) 4. For skirt-edge sores (also known as trouser-leg wind sores): Da Feng Zi (Hydrocarpus anthelmintica seed kernel) one hundred pieces, Ku Fan (Alumen praeparata) 1.5 g, Chuan Jiao (Zanthoxylum bungeanum fruit powder) 3 g, Qing Fen (Calomel) 3 g. Mix with genuine cypress oil and apply for immediate healing. (Dong Tian Ao Zhi, Da Feng Gao) 5. For paddy field dermatitis: Da Feng Zi (Hydrocarpus anthelmintica seed kernel) and Xiong Huang (Realgar) 30 g each, Bing Pian (Borneol, or Zhang Nao/Camphor) 0.6 g, cooked lime powder 15 g. Grind together into a fine powder for external application. Before applying the powder, first mash Qing Fan Mu (Clerodendrum formicarum) or wash the affected area with water infused with Ku Lian Shu Pi (Melia azedarach bark) or Ci Xian Cai (Amaranthus spinosus). (Southern Materia Medica, Zhong Cao Yao Xue)
