Stone chestnut

Stone chestnut

(Guangdong traditional Chinese Medicine II)

[synonym] sea walnut (guihaiyuhengzhi), black tung oil (Guangxi Medicinal Plant List).

[source] it is the seed of Castanea mollissima.

[plant morphology] stone chestnut (Southern vegetative), also known as candlelight fruit tree.

Evergreen trees, up to 13 m tall; young parts and inflorescences covered with stellate pubescence. Single leaf alternate, ovate to broadly lanceolate, 10-20 cm long, base short pointed to heart-shaped, apex acuminate, old leaves glabrous above, covered with rust colored stellate pubescence below, entire or 3-5-lobed; petiole 6-12 cm long, apex with pale red sessile glands, 20 flowers unisexual, monoecious; panicle terminal, 10-15 cm long, pilose; flowers small, white, 6-8 mm long; male The calyx of the flower is subglobose, hairy, 3-lobed, about 3 mm long, with 5 petals, obovate lanceolate, and 15-20 stamens on the hairy and raised receptacle. The outermost 5 stamens are opposite to the petals and alternate with the 5 glands of the disk. The perianth of the female flower is the same as that of the male flower, and the gland of the disk is 5, very tiny, with 1 ovule per ovary and 2-lobed style. Drupe fleshy, ovoid or globose, ca. 5 cm in diameter; 1-2-seeded. The flowering period is from April to July. The fruit period is from September to November.

Distribution in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Yunnan and other places.

The leaves of this plant (chestnut) are also used for medicine. Please refer to the special section for details.

[collection] the seeds were harvested in autumn and dried.

[medicinal material] the dried seeds have hard shell, irregular oblate shape, about 2-3cm in diameter, protruding apex, slightly pointed, and yellow white membrane on the surface. The seed coat is yellowish green or brown. The seed coat is about 2 mm thick with white kernel inside. It is rich in oil and tastes sweet and greasy. It's better to be big and plump.

Produced in Guangdong, Guangxi and other places.

[chemical composition] the shell accounts for 68% of the total weight of the seed, with water content of 7.9-9.8, crude protein of 1.7-2.2 and ash of 4.0-7.7%. Kernel accounted for 32% of the total seed weight, and oil content was 54.77% (palmitic acid 8.17, stearic acid 3.38, oleic acid 39.52, linolenic acid 38.29, glycerin 8.68, unsaponifiable matter o.96%). The residue contains 45.15% protein, 31.47% sugar and 7.05% glutamic acid.

[pharmacological action] the pungent resin in seed oil can induce diarrhea.

[nature and taste] Guangdong traditional Chinese Medicine II: "sweet, cold, with little poison. "

[function and indications] Guangdong traditional Chinese Medicine II: "Tongjing, qingyure, Jingguan. "

[usage and dosage] oral administration: decoction or calcination, 5-7 pieces.

[taboo] "Guangdong traditional Chinese medicine" II: "raw food can make people nauseous, pregnant women are forbidden to take it. "