Litseae Fructus
Aliases：Shān Hú Jiāo (Mountain Pepper); Mù Xiāng Zǐ (Wood Fragrance Seed); Mù Zhāng Zǐ (Wood Camphor Seed); Shān Jiāng Zǐ (Mountain Ginger Seed); Mù Jiāo Zǐ (Wood Pepper Seed); Là Méi Chái (Winter Sweet Firewood); Dà Mù Jiāng (Large Wood Ginger); Xiāng Guì Zǐ (Fragrant Cinnamon Seed); Hóu Xiāng Zǐ (Monkey Fragrance Seed); Shēng Jiāng Cái (Fresh Ginger Material); Huáng Huā Zǐ (Yellow Flower Seed); Là Jiāng Zǐ (Spicy Ginger Seed).
Mù Jiāng Zǐ (Litsea Fruit) is a Chinese medicinal herb. It is the fruit of Litsea euosma W.W. Smith, Litsea mollis Hemsl. [L. mollifolia Chun], and Litsea pungens Hemsl., plants of the Lauraceae family. The fruit is subglobose in shape, with a dark brown or brownish-black surface and reticulate wrinkles. It has a fragrant aroma and a pungent, slightly bitter, and numbing taste. Litsea fruit is both a commonly used Chinese medicinal substance and a well-known culinary spice.
Efficacy & Actions
Warms the middle jiao and promotes qi circulation; dries dampness and strengthens the spleen; detoxifies and reduces swelling.
Indications
Used for stomach cold with abdominal pain, summer-dampness with vomiting and diarrhea, food stagnation with abdominal fullness, dysmenorrhea, hernia pain, malaria, and sores with swelling and pain.
Modern Pharmacology
Antiasthmatic Effect: The volatile oil of Litsea fruit has a relaxing effect on tracheal smooth muscle. Antiarrhythmic Effect: Exhibits antiarrhythmic pharmacological activity. Antifungal Effect: Shows inhibitory effects against various fungi. Antibacterial Effect: Litsea fruit essential oil has notable antibacterial activity, with main antibacterial components including citral, limonene, and linalool. Antioxidant Effect: The volatile oil components exhibit antioxidant activity. Anti-inflammatory Effect: Exhibits anti-inflammatory activity. Anti-platelet Aggregation Effect: Exhibits anti-platelet aggregation pharmacological activity. Anti-myocardial Ischemia Effect: Shows protective effects against myocardial ischemia.
Ingredients
Volatile Oils: Content 2.5%–6%. The main component is citral (accounting for up to 60%–80%), followed by limonene, citronellal, linalool, geraniol, caryophyllene, and others. Fatty Oils: The seed kernel has a high oil content, with the main fatty acid being lauric acid (approximately 85.6%), along with capric acid, myristic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and others. Other Components: Also contains alkaloids (mainly aporphine alkaloids), flavonoids, lignans, amides, and others.
Usage & Dosage
Oral Administration: Decoction, the standard dosage is 3–10g. When taken as powder, 1–1.5g per dose. Some sources record a clinical dosage of 12–15g. Topical Application: Appropriate amount, mashed for application, or ground into powder and mixed for external application; or decocted in water for fumigation and washing.
Contraindications
Contraindicated in patients with excess heat or yin deficiency with fire excess. Contraindicated in patients with heat in the stomach and intestines. Contraindicated in heat patterns. Should not be consumed together with cold-nature foods or herbs, as this may weaken the efficacy or cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Use with caution during pregnancy.
Selected Formulas
For stomach cold with abdominal pain and vomiting (Sichuan Chinese Materia Medica, 1982) Take 9g of Mujiangzi (Litsea pungens fruit), 9g of Ganjiang (dried ginger), and 9g of Liangjiang (galangal). Decoct in water and drink. For cold hernia with abdominal pain (Sichuan Chinese Materia Medica, 1982) Take 9g of Mujiangzi, 9g of Xiaohuixiang (fennel), 9g of Qingmuxiang (aristolochia root), 9g of Wuyao (Lindera root), and 12g of Juhe (tangerine seed). Decoct in water and drink. For dyspepsia (Guizhou Folk Medicines) Take Mujiangzi, dry-bake until dry, grind into powder. Take 1–1.5g each time with water. For acute abdominal pain due to summer heat (Guizhou Folk Medicines) Take 3g each of Mujiangzi, Qingtengxiang (a local herb), and Zhizhuxiang (a local herb). Grind into powder and take with wine. For joint pain (Hunan Materia Medica) Take 30g of Mujiangzi fruit, 15g of Xionghuang (realgar), and 60g of chicken feces. Crush together, stir-fry until hot, wrap in cloth, and rub on the painful area.
Daily Consumption
Litsea Infusion: Take 3–5g of Litsea fruit (Mù Jiāng Zǐ), crush it, steep in boiling water, and drink as a tea. It is suitable as an adjunctive treatment for stomach cold with abdominal pain and food stagnation with abdominal distension. Stewed Meat with Litsea: Litsea fruit can be stewed together with meat. It helps warm the middle jiao, dispel cold, promote qi circulation, and aid digestion. Culinary Spice: Litsea fruit can be dried, ground into powder, and used as a cooking spice. It can also be processed into Litsea oil for use in cold dishes and seasoning.
Medicinal Parts
Dried ripe fruit.
Selection & Storage
Store in an airtight container, protected from insects and moisture.
