Pharmaceutical Name:

Pericarpium Papaveris

Botanical Name:

Papaver somniferum L.

Common Name:

Opium poppy capsule
Poppy capsule

Source of Earliest Record:

Kaibao Bencao

Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations:

The capsules are gathered in summer. After the seeds are removed, the capsules are dried in the sun, and then they are fried with honey.

Properties and Taste:

Sour, astringent, neutral and toxic

Meridians:

Lung, large intestine and kidney

Functions:

To astringe the lungs
To astringe the intestines
To stop pain

Indications and Combinations:

1.     Chronic cough due to deficiency of the lungs.
*Use with with Black plum (Wumei).

2.     Chronic diarrhea or chronic dysentery.
*Use with Coptis root (Huanglian), Costus root (Muxiang) and Dried ginger (Ganjiang).

3.      Pain.
*Use alone for the treatment of pain.

Dosage:

3-10 g (Fried with honey, the herb is used for cough; prepared with vinegar, for diarrhea with pain.)

Cautions:

This herb is contraindicated in the early stage of cough and dysentery. Care should be taken to avoid overdosing.