Bitter Cardamom (Yizhiren)

Bitter Cardamom (Yizhiren)

Pharmaceutical Name: Fructus Alpiniae oxyphyllae
Botanical Name: Alpinia oxyphylla Miq.
Common Name:Black cardamom
Bitter cardamom
Source of Earliest Record: Bencao Shiyi
art Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The fruit is gathered in summer. It is dried in the sun, fried with sand and peeled.
Properties and Taste: Pungent and warm
Meridian: Spleen and kidney
Functions: To warm and tonify the spleen and kidneys
To prevent emissions and stop diarrhea
Indications and Combinations: 1.     Invasion of cold in the spleen and kidneys manifested as abdominal pain and vomiting.
*Use with Pilose asiabell root (Dangshen), White atractylodes (Baizhu) and Dried ginger (Ganjiang).

2. Kidney deficiency manifested as enuresis and seminal emissions.
*Use with Dioscorea (Shanyao) and Lindera root (Wuyao) in the formula Suoquan Wan.

3.   Diarrhea and excessive salivation due to spleen deficiency.
*Use with Poria (Fuling), Dioscorea (Shanyao), Pilose asiabell root (Dangshen) Pinellia tuber (Banxia).
Dosage: 3-6 g
Cautions: This herb is contraindicated in cases with deficiency of yin with excessive fire, seminal emissions, frequent urination and uterine bleeding caused by heat.