Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit (Thin pulp without pit, flattened cylindrical, purplish-red, wrinkled, glossy)

Henan Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit

Korean Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit

Wine-Steamed Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit

【Naming】

Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit

 【Source】

Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic of Materia Medica, Middle Grade

 【Common Usage Level】

B

 【Botanical Origin】

Dried ripe fruit (pulp) without pits of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. of the Cornaceae family.

 【Properties】

It is the dried pulp, incomplete or in the form of a flattened cylinder, about 1.5 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. Fresh products have a purplish-red surface, while aged products are mostly purplish-black, wrinkled, and shiny. At the base, traces of the fruit stalk can sometimes be seen, and at the top, there is a circular trace of the persistent calyx. The texture is soft and not easily broken. It has no odor and tastes sour, astringent, and bitter.
After processing, it is purplish-black, wrinkled, and shiny, with a broken opening where the pit has been removed. The texture is soft and moist, odorless, with a sour, astringent, and slightly bitter taste, and a slight aroma of wine.

 【Identification】

“Essential Secrets from the Outer Terrace”: “For all Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit, use fine roots from the northeast shady side. Those larger than a finger are not good and are ineffective.” “Renshu Bianlan (A Handbook of Benevolent Arts)”: “Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit with a bright red color is good.” “Good and Bad Discrimination”: “Those with a sour and astringent taste and a lustrous color are superior.”
It is best to have a dry body, no pit, thick flesh, a red and moist color, no charring, no impurities, a sour taste, and no white frost on the outside.

 【Identification Terminology】

1. Hang Yu Rou (Chun Yu Rou): Refers to Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit medicinal material cultivated in the Hangzhou area of Zhejiang Province, which is generally considered to be of better quality.

 【Category】

Fruits