The source is from the ripe fruit of Amomum villosum lout (Yangchunsha), A. longiligulare T.L. Wu, family Zingiberaceae (Hainansha or Leukesha). Yangchunsha is mainly produced in Guangdong, Guangxi provinces, etc. ; and Hainansha in Guangdong and Hainan provinces, and L¨¹kesha in Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, etc.. They are collected in summer and autumn when the fruits are ripe, dried in the sun or in low temperature, the crude one being used. Medicinal Properties Pungent in flavor, warm in nature and attributive to the spleen and stomach meridians. Actions Eliminate dampness and promote the circulation of qi, warm the middle energizer to stop vomiting and diarrhea, and prevent miscarriage. Application 1. For obstruction of dampness in the stomach and spleen and stagnation of spleen qi and stomach qi with epigastric fullness and distention, loss of appetite, more suitable for cold-dampness syndrome, it is usually combined with Houpo ( Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis ), Jupi (Pericarpium Citri Tangerinae ), and Zhishi ( Fructus Aurantii Immaturus), etc.. For stagnation of qi due to deficiency of the spleen, usually combined with Dangshen (Radix Codonopsis ), Baizhu ( Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae), and Fuling ( Poria ), etc., such as Xiang Sha Liujunzi Tang (Decoction). 2. For vomiting and diarrhea due to asthenia-cold of the spleen and stomach. It can be taken in powder form or combined with Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis ) and Fuzi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata ), etc.. 3. For vomiting due to pregnancy and threatened abortion due to stagnation of qi, the fried one that is powdered is taken to treat the former symptom; it is combined with Renshen (Radix Ginseng), Huangqi ( Radix Astragali ) , and Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephatae), etc. to treat the latter symptom. Usage and Dosage 3 - 6 g is used in decoction for oral use, not suitable to be taken for a long time.
