Castaneae Mollissimae Semen
Aliases：板栗：为板栗的通用名称，意译为“Chinese Chestnut”。 栗实：指栗子的成熟果实，意译为“Chestnut Fruit”。 㯢子：栗子的古称或别称，意译为“Chestnut Kernel”。 㭺子：栗子的别称，意译为“Chestnut Seed”。 栗果：指栗子的果实，意译为“Chestnut Fruit”。 大栗：形容果实较大，意译为“Large Chestnut”。
Lì Zǐ (Chinese Chestnut) is a Chinese medicinal substance. It is the kernel of Castanea mollissima Bl., a plant of the Fagaceae family. Chinese Chestnut is both a nutritious food and a medicinal and edible substance in traditional Chinese medicine, and is known as the “King of Nuts” and the “Fruit for the Kidneys.”
Efficacy & Actions
Supplements qi and strengthens the spleen; tonifies the kidneys and strengthens sinews and bones; invigorates blood and reduces swelling; stops bleeding.
Indications
Primarily used for diarrhea due to spleen deficiency, nausea and vomiting, soreness and weakness of the feet and knees, swelling and pain from fractures and tendon injuries, scrofula, hematemesis, epistaxis, and bloody stool.
Modern Pharmacology
Antitumor effect: Exhibits certain antitumor activity. Antioxidant effect: Exhibits antioxidant activity. Anticoagulant effect: Exhibits anticoagulant activity. Regulation of gut microbiota: The polysaccharides in chestnuts can promote the growth of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, demonstrating prebiotic effects. Nutritional and health-promoting effects: Rich in various nutrients, providing nutritional and health benefits.
Ingredients
The kernels of Chinese chestnut mainly contain starch. In addition, they also contain fats, soluble sugars, vitamin C, abundant proteins, as well as trace elements such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.
Usage & Dosage
Oral Administration: Appropriate amount, consumed raw or cooked; or stir-fried while preserving the property, ground into powder, and taken 30–60g. Topical Application: Appropriate amount, mashed for external application.
Contraindications
Contraindicated in patients with food stagnation and epigastric fullness with distension. Use with caution in diabetic patients: As it contains a high amount of carbohydrates that can be broken down into sugars in the body, intake should be strictly controlled. Not suitable for those with weak gastrointestinal function or indigestion: Excessive consumption may aggravate indigestion and bloating. It should be chewed slowly and thoroughly. Postpartum women and children with constipation should not consume too much: It may worsen constipation. Patients with kidney disease: As chestnuts are high in potassium, consult a physician before consumption. Dietary precautions: Should not be consumed on an empty stomach to avoid gastrointestinal irritation. Moldy or spoiled chestnuts must not be eaten, as they may cause poisoning.
Selected Formulas
For sudden diarrhea due to spleen-kidney deficiency cold (Bencao Fengyuan) Take chestnuts, roast until cooked, and eat. For weak feet in children who cannot walk by age 3-4 (Yao Kecheng, Shiwu Bencao) Feed raw chestnuts daily. For senile kidney deficiency with frequent urination and weak lower back and feet (Shiwu Zhongyao yu Bianfang) Eat 1-2 raw chestnuts each morning and evening, chew and swallow. For kidney-deficiency lower back and foot weakness (Jingyan Houfang) Store raw chestnuts in a bag and hang to dry. Each day at dawn, eat over ten chestnuts, then eat pig kidney congee. For infantile gan sores (Zhouhou Beiji Fang) Chew chestnuts and apply to the sores. For wounds from knives or axes (Binhu Jijian Fang) Grind large chestnuts (with intact shell) and apply; or in an emergency, chew and apply. For back carbuncle and all toxic swellings (Waitai, citing Jinxiao Fang) Take 49 raw chestnuts (scorch, peel, crush, sieve), 6 he of raw sesame oil, 2.5 liang of Huangdan (lead oxide), and 2 qian of Dibian (a local insect, crushed and sieved). Mix in a copper vessel, simmer over charcoal fire in a double boiler. When foam rises to the brim, take 1 he of wheat, have two people chew to extract the gluten, quickly add to the mixture and stir. Remove the paste, place the copper vessel in cold water to cool and set. Apply the paste on old cloth and apply to the affected area, changing morning and evening. For persistent epistaxis (Shengji Zonglu, Lihui San) Take 7 raw chestnuts, slightly scratch the skin, burn with skin until charred while retaining properties, cover with a bowl, cool, and grind with a little Shexiang (Musk). Take 2 qian each time, mixed with warm water.
Daily Consumption
Chestnut Chicken: Warms and tonifies the spleen and stomach, invigorates blood and nourishes blood. It is an excellent nourishing food for those with physical weakness and fatigue. Chestnut, Chinese Yam, Ginger, and Jujube Congee: Tonifies the kidneys, strengthens the spleen, and stops diarrhea. It can be used for spleen-stomach weakness, aversion to cold foods, poor appetite with diarrhea, or indigestion in children. Red Date, Lotus Seed, and Chestnut Chicken Soup: Warms and tonifies the spleen and stomach, invigorates blood and nourishes blood. Daily Consumption: It is recommended to consume 15–20 chestnuts per day, preferably cooked by low-temperature methods such as steaming or boiling.
Medicinal Parts
Kernel.
Selection & Storage
It should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated place, protected from mold.
