Bitter Apricot Kernel (xing ren)

Semen Armeniacae Amarum

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Properties: It is bitter in flavour, warm in nature and slightly toxic. It is tropistic to the lung, large intestine channels. Its bitterness can send down rebellious Qi to relieve cough and asthma; the warmness can disperse wind-cold in the lung channel. Its action is rather slow and uniform. It is applicable in compound prescriptions for treatment of cough and asthma caused by exopathogen and internal injury, cold and heat, deficiency and excess. It is especially effective in treatment of cough with abundant expectoration due to wind-cold invasion of lung. It is rich in oil, which acts on the large intestine channel to lubricate the bowel to relieve constipation, so it is indicated in constipation due to dryness of the bowels.

Effects: Relieving cough and asthma, lubricating the bowel to relieve constipation.

Indications:

1. For treatment of cough due to exopathogenic wind-cold, it can be used in combination with Herba Ephedrae, Radix Glycyrrhizae; For treatment of cough due to exopathogenic wind-heat, it can be used together with Fructus Arctti, Folium Mori, Bulbus Fritillariae, Radix Platycodi, Radix Glycyrrhizae; For treatment of warm-dryness injury of lung, unproductive cough, it is frequently used in combination with Folium Mori, Bulbus Fritillariae, Radix Adenophorae in order to clear away the lung-heat and moisturize, to relieve phlegm and cough, such as Sanxing Tang; For treatment of accumulation of pathogenic heat in the lung, pyrexia with acute asthma, it is usually used together with Gypsum Fibrosum, Herba Ephedrae, Radix Glycyrrhizae in order to clear away lung-heat, to disperse the lung and control cough, such as Maxing Shigan Tang.

2. For treatment of constipation due to bowel dryness, it is commonly used in combination with Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Fructus Canabis, and so on to nourish Yin and supplement blood, lubricate the bowel to relieve constipation.

Dosage and Administration: 3-10g. For treatment of cough due to exopathogen, bitter Semen Armeniacae Amarum is mostly used, while of cough due to consumption, the sweet one is mostly used.