Calabash gourd (Hulu)
Pharmaceutical Name: Pericarpium lagenariae
Botanical Name: Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.
Common Name: Calabash gourd.
Source of Earliest Record: Rihuazi Bencao.
Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: When the calabash gourd ripens in autumn, its peel is collected and dried in the sun.
Properties & Taste: Sweet and neutral.
Meridians: Lung and small intestine.
Functions: To promote water metabolism and reduce edema.
Indications & Combinations: Edema. Calabash gourd (Hulu) is used with herbs which promote water metabolism, such as Benincasa peel (Dongguapi).
Dosage: 15-30 g.
