Jugulans Nux, Walnut, He Tao 核桃

He Tao, Hu Tao (TCM)
Akhrot (Unani)
Star ka སྟར་ཀ་ (Tibet)
Picture Della Materia Medicinale,
Andrea Valuassori, 1562

Picture Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578

Picture Botanische wandplaten, 1904–1914

Picture Kohler’s Medizinal Pflanzen, 1887

Botanical name:


Jugulans regia

Parts used:


Ripe Nut; Confected Nuts

Temperature & Taste:


Warm, dry. Sweet
“Hot in the third degree and Dry in the second degree”. (Avicenna)
Confected Walnuts are Warm, moist and Sweet.

Classifications:


2K. RESOLVENT.    2S. STRENGTHENING
3C. ALEXIPHARMIC.    3F. LITHONTRIPTIC.    3I. APHRODISIAC.    3J. INCREASE SEMEN
4a. CEPHALIC.    4e. STOMACHIC.    4g. HEPATIC.    4j. NERVINE

Uses:


1. Resists Poison:
-long regarded as effective to resist Infection during Epidemics and to preserve from Toxin and Venom (West)
-‘disperses pyogenic infection, accelerates the development of Smallpox, and detoxifies the toxin of Copper’. (Li Shi Zhen)

2. Warms and strengthens the Kidneys:
-Lower back pain, frequent Urination, Spermatorrhea (TCM, West)
-Infertility (TCM, West)
-Increases Semen
-‘blackens the Hair’ … ‘makes one plump and healthy’. (Kai Bao Ben Cao)
-‘tonifies Qi and Nourishes Blood’. (Li Shi Zhen)

3. Strengthens the Brain and Nerves:
-benefits Memory and Brain, increases Intelligence
-Paralysis
-Tinnitus and degenerative Brain diseases (preserved Walnuts are stronger)

4. Strengthen the Lungs, Stops Cough:
-Cough and Wheezing from cold and deficiency (TCM)
-fried Walnut is used in Unani

5. Strengthens the Heart:
-Benefits the Heart and Circulation: Heart weakness, Heart disease in the aged
-Hypertension, high Cholesterol

6. Moisten the Intestines:
-constipation in the old or weak (TCM, West)

7. Astringes:
-old walnuts are burned to make them more astringent: Diarrhea, excess Menstruation

8. Clears Stones:
-fried Walnuts powdered are effective for Kidney and Gall Stones

9. Kills Worms:
-“The use of walnut in larger doses expels small Worms and Tapeworm”. (Avicenna)

10. Externally:
-“Its oil is useful in Rodent Ulcers, Erysipelas and Fistula of the Eye.” (Avicenna)
-“all kinds of Walnut … are plastered over swollen Breasts”. (Avicenna)


CONFECTED WALNUTS:
Walnuts confected with Sugar or prepared with Honey have similar effects.
-more strengthening and tonifying
-better to strengthen the Brain and Nerves in Mental weakness, poor Memory and Paralysis
-stronger to strengthen the Kidneys, nourish Semen and as an aphrodisiac
-confected Walnuts were also regarded as warming and strengthening to the Liver

INTERIOR DIVIDING WALLS of the NUT:
-Angina Pectoris and Heart disease.
-Pleurisy (in 1 dram doses)
-Burning or sharpness of Urine
-It was the only medicine which benefited the English forces in Ireland when afflicted with an Epidemic Dysentery.
-‘A specific in a Cancer, if long continued’. (Pharmacopoeia Universalis, R. James, M.D., London, 1743)


Dose:


Nuts in Decoction: 10–30 grams
Or eat 5–7 nuts per day
Interior Dividing Wall in Powder: 1–3 grams

Correctives:


1. Citrus fruit; Sours in general
2. “Oxymel is its antidote in hot-tempered persons”. (Avicenna)

Substitutes:


1. Almond, Almond oil as a Brain tonic
2. White Behen as an aphrodisiac and Kidney tonic

Preparation:


1. Roasted Walnut:
  “The roasted walnut is very astringent” (Avicenna)
Walnuts are raosted until browned.
This is a stronger astringet, suitable for Diarrhea or excess Menstruation, especially with Kidney weakness.
2. Honey-prepared Walnut:
  “Walnut .treated with Honey, is useful in Cold Stomach”. (Avicenna)
This is more strengthening and tonifying, strengthens the Spleen and Stomach.
3. Vinegar prepared Walnut:
  “For persons having a weak stomach, walnut treated with vinegar, is useful”. (Avicenna)

Main Combinations:


1. King Mithridates Remedy Against all Poison (Electuary of Nuts), Walnut, Fig, Rue, Salt and Honey. Beat together to form an Electuary; take as much as a Hazelnut every morning to protect from Infection.
2. To Warm and strengthen the Kidneys:
i. Walnut, Psoralea Bu Gu Zhi, make pills with Honey. (Su Song)
ii. Walnut with Pistachio, Sesame, Sea Holly root, Asparagus root (as in Antidote for Cold Lumbar, for Venery, and Defect of Semen of Nicholas)
3. Sterility, Walnut with Ram Testicles, Hare Uterus, Cinnamon, Clove, Saffron, Pistachio (as in Decoction for Sterility)
4. Back Pain from Kidney weakness:
i. Walnut with Sweet Almond, Pistachio, Ginger, Cinnamon, Saffron, Galangal, Clove, Aniseed, Mastic (as in Antidote for Back Pain)
ii. Walnut with Eucommia Du Zhong and Psoralea Bu Gu Zhi (TCM)
5. Paralysis, Walnut with Sage, Cowslip, Lavender, Cress (as in Compound for Paralysis)
6. To strengthen the Brain and Nerves, confected Walnut is taken with confected Chebulic Myrobalan
7. Wheezing from Kidney and Lung deficiency, Walnut with Gecko Ge Jie (TCM)
8. Constipation with dryness, Walnut with Cannabis seed (Huo Ma Ren) or Sesame seed or Linseed
9. Diarrhea, roasted Walnuts (3 drams), Ameos (1 dram), Olibanum (5 drams), as in Powder of Walnuts of Unani. It is taken as a powder with warm water for Diarrhea from Pituitous (Damp) Humors. (Pharmacopoeia Persica, 1681)

Major Formulas


Decoction for Sterility (Quercetan)
Electuary of Nuts (Mithridate)
Antidote for Back Pain (Galen)
Antidote for Cold Lumbar, for Venery, and Defect of Semen (Nicholas)
Compound for Paralysis (Salerno)
Ren Shen Hu Tao Tang

Cautions:


1. Heat-Cough or Phlegm-Heat
2. Deficient Heat
3. “Physicians state that walnut causes Headache”. (Avicenna)

Main Preparations used:


Preserved Nuts, Expressed Oil of the Nuts