Hawthorn Fruit (Shanzha)

Hawthorn Fruit (Shanzha)

Pharmaceutical Name: Fructus Crataegi
Botanical Name: Crataegus cuneata Sieb, et Zucc
Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var Major N. E. Br.
Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.
Common Name:Hawthorn fruit
Crataegus fruit
Source of Earliest Record: Xinxiu Bencao
art Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The fruit is gathered in late autumn or in the beginning of winter, dried in the sun and fried, or raw, fruit may be used.
Properties and Taste: Sour, sweet, and slightly warm
Meridian: Spleen, stomach, and liver
Functions: To eliminate food retention
To investigate blood circulation and remove stagnation
Indications and Combinations: 1.     Food retention (especially of fatty food) accompanied by abdominal and epigastric distension, pain and diarrhea.
*Use with Medicated leaven (Shenqu), germinated barley (Maiya), Costus root (Muxiang) and Bitter orange (Zhiqiao).

2.  Postpartum abdominal pain and lochia due to blood stagnation.
*Use with Chinese angelica root (Danggui), Chuanxiong rhizome (Chuanxiong and Motherwort (Yimucao).
Dosage: 10-15 g