Benincasa Semen, Dong Gua Zi 冬瓜子

Winter Melon, Wax Gourd
Dong Gua Zi (TCM)

Revue horticole, serié 4, vol. 59: (1887)

Botanical name:

Benincasa hispida (syn. B. cerifera)

Parts used:

Seed

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, moist. Sweet

Uses:

1. Clears Phlegm-Heat, Discharges Pus:
-Phlegm-Heat Cough with thick, yellow Phlegm
-Abscess with Pus formation in the Lungs or Intestines

2. Clears Damp-Heat, Promotes Urine:
-Edema, Urinary difficulty, Strangury
-Leukorrhea, Gonorrhea from Damp-Heat

3. Nourishes Blood and Yin:
-traditionally to tonify the Liver and benefit the Eyes (Essentials of the Materia Medica)
-improves complexion and nourishes skin (topically and internally)

Dose:

Decoction: 9–15 grams

Preparation:

1. Stir-Fried: the dried seed are stir-fried until yellowish; this makes it more warming and better for sensitive and weak Stomachs. It is less moistening, however.
2. Honey-Fried Seeds: the dried seeds are dry fried with Honey. This is better for Cough from Lung heat.

Main Combinations:

1. Lung Abscess:
i. Benincasa Semen, Dong Gua Zi with Violet
ii. Benincasa Semen, Dong Gua Zi with Platycodon Jie Geng, Houttuynia Yu Xing Cao, Lonicera Jin Yin Hua
iii. from Heat and Toxin, Benincasa Semen, Dong Gua Zi with Coix Yi Yi Ren (Job’s Tears), Phargmitis Lu Gen
iv. Benincasa Semen, Dong Gua Zi with Coix Yi Yi Ren (Job’s Tears), and Peach kernel (Tao Ren)
2. Intestinal Abscess, Benincasa Semen, Dong Gua Zi with Rhubarb (Da Huang), Paeonia Mu Dan Pi
3. To nourish the Skin and improve complexion, Benincasa Semen, Dong Gua Zi with Dang Gui
4. Edema from Damp-Heat:
i. Benincasa Semen, Dong Gua Zi with Coix Yi Yi Ren (Job’s Tears), Adzuki Bean (Chi Xiao Dou)

Cautions:

Generally Safe.
Long term use can Cool the Stomach.