Entada scandens, Gla gor zho sha གླ་གོར་ཞོ་ཤ

Elephant Creeper, Matchbox Bean, Climbing Entada
Gil (Ayurveda)
Chillu (Siddha)
Gla gor zho sha  གླ་གོར་ཞོ་ཤ  (Tibetan)
Gai Teng Zi  盖藤子 (TCM)
 Picture
Picture Entada scandens
M.E. Descourtilz, Flore médicale des Antilles (1827)

Picture Entada scandens
(Photo by J.M.Garg) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Entada scandens (syn. E. phaseoloides. E. pursaetha; Lens phaseoloides, Mimosa entada)

Parts used:


Seed, collected when ripe and detoxified.

Temperature & Taste:


Cool, Sweet. Slightly Toxic. (not toxic after preparation)

Uses:


1. Strengthens the Spleen, Clears Damp: (TCM, Tibetan)
-Debility, increases strength (Tibetan)
-Spleen weakness, poor digestion, poor appetite (Tibetan, Indigenous Australian)
-Prolapse of the rectum, Hemorrhoids (TCM)
-Roasted seeds are eaten as food
-Gastric Pain, Hernia pain (TCM)

2. Strengthens the Kidneys, Clears Wind and Damp:
-Impotency (Tibetan Medicine)
-Female Sterility (Indigenous Australian)
-Rheumatoid Arthritis, Numb extremities
-Edema

3. Moves the Qi, Opens Obstructions, Eases Pain: (TCM)
-Liver obstruction, Jaundice
-Glandular Swellings
-Gastric Pain
-Bloody stool, Diarrhea or Dysentery with Blood, Irritable Bowel with severe spasm

4. Clears Toxin, Disperses Swelling: (TCM, Tibetan)
-Sore Throat
-Skin diseases
-Bloody Dysentery

5. Promotes Vomit:
-Emetic (probably unprepared seed)

6. Externally:
-paste of the seeds is applied to glandular swellings and skin diseases
-as a wash for fungal infections
-due to the saponins, it is used as a wash and shampoo


Dose:



Preparation:


1. Seeds are peeled, then stir-fried to detoxify.
2. The seed is soaked in water and roasted to detoxify. In this way, it has also been used as food.

Main Combinations:


1. Impotency, Entada seed (stir-fried) with Mucuna, Shilajit
2. Vomiting, Diarrhea with Headache, Fever, Entada seed (stir-fried), Asafetida, Black Pepper, Vitex seed, Nigella seed, Eclipta (used by the Dai minority of China)

Major Formulas:


Aloeswood 17 (Tibetan)
Aloeswood 18 (Tibetan)
Pomegranate All Inclusive Pill (Tibetan)

Cautions:


1. Seeds contain saponins which are toxic. Avoid overdose. They are safer for use after preparation.
2. Not used during pregnancy or breastfeeding

Main Preparations used: