<a href=’https://whatsintcm.com/dt_articles/Gua Lou仁/’>Gua Lou Ren (Trichosanthes Seed) (Oval-elliptic, flat, yellowish-brown, with a faint groove around the edge, one end slightly narrower with a hilum)

【Naming】

<a href=’https://whatsintcm.com/dt_articles/Gua Lou仁/’>Gua Lou Ren (Trichosanthes Seed)

n 【Source】n

Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic (Ben Jing Zhong Pin)

n 【Common Usage Level】n

E

n 【Botanical Origin】n

Seeds of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim., Trichosanthes uniflora Hao, Trichosanthes truncata C.B.Clarke, etc., all belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family (Gua Lou)

n 【Characteristics】n

1. Trichosanthes kirilowii Seed: Oval-elliptic, flat, 1.1-1.6cm long, 6-12mm wide, and about 4mm thick. Surface is yellowish-brown to brown, smooth, with a faint groove of about 1mm wide along the edge, one end is slightly narrower with a hilum, and the other end is blunt and round. The seed coat is hard, and after breaking it open, two cotyledons can be seen, yellowish-white or greenish, rich in oil, and covered with a green coat (inner seed coat). Odor is slight, taste is bland. Gua Lou Shuang (Trichosanthes Seed Powder) is yellow. <a href=’https://whatsintcm.com/dt_articles/Gua Lou仁/’>Gua Lou Ren is also called Gua Lou Zi (Trichosanthes Seed).n2. Trichosanthes uniflora Seed: Larger and very flat, oblong-elliptic, one end flat and rectangular, one end round or slightly pointed, 1.5-1.9cm long, 0.8-1cm wide, and about 2.5mm thick. Surface is slightly rough, dark brown or brownish-brown, edge is 1-3mm wide, often slightly curved. There is a very obvious groove around the edge. The end with the hilum is wider and slightly square, and the surrounding edge is wider, forming a “double edge” shape, hence the name.n3. Trichosanthes truncata Seed: The seed of the plant Trichosanthes truncata. It is oval, slightly protruding on one side, 2-3cm long, 1.5-2cm wide, and 4-6mm thick. The surface is smooth, light brown or yellowish-brown, with a faint ridge on the edge.nIn addition, the seeds of Trichosanthes bracteata (Lam.) Voigt (Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong), Trichosanthes rubriflos Tborel ex Cayla (Yunnan, Guizhou), Trichosanthes lepiniana (Naud.) Cogn. (Yunnan) and Trichosanthes himalensis C.B.Clarke etc. are also used as Gua Lou Zi (Trichosanthes Seed) in various producing areas.n4. The seeds of the same genus plant Trichosanthes cucumeroides (Ser.) Maxim are called <a href=’https://whatsintcm.com/dt_articles/Gua Lou仁/’>Gua Lou Ren. The appearance of the two is significantly different.

n 【Processing】n

1. Raw <a href=’https://whatsintcm.com/dt_articles/Gua Lou仁/’>Gua Lou Ren 2. Stir-fried <a href=’https://whatsintcm.com/dt_articles/Gua Lou仁/’>Gua Lou Ren 3. Gua Lou Shuang (Trichosanthes Seed Powder)

n 【Identification】n

The best quality is even, full, and oily.

n 【Category】n

Seeds