lu lu tong

路路通·Fructus Liquidambaris

Liquidambar Fruit

About lu lu tong

Lu Lu Tong (路路通) is the fruit of liquidambar, the sweetgum, recorded as Fructus Liquidambaris. It is bitter in flavour and neutral in temperature, entering the Liver and Stomach channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that invigorate the Blood. Its Chinese name reads as the road that runs through.

Names

Pinyin	lu lu tong
Chinese	路路通
Latin Name	Fructus Liquidambaris
English Name	Liquidambar Fruit
Japanese	rorotsu
Korean	norotong

Classification

Category: Invigorate the Blood
Channels: Stomach, Liver
Flavour: Bitter
Temperature: Neutral
Part used: Fruit
Family: hamamelidaceae
Species: Liquidambar formosana
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Moves Qi and invigorates Blood, opens the Middle Jiao and unblocks the channels

Epigastric pain with abdominal distension
Irregular or scanty periods from stagnation
Wind-Damp Bi with stiff, painful low back and knees
Pain in the limbs

Expels Wind and promotes urination

Nasal congestion
Bi syndrome
Edema with difficult urination

Promotes lactation and unblocks the breast

Scanty breast milk after childbirth from Qi stagnation
Distended breasts

Treats allergic conditions

Allergies of the skin and nose, including urticaria, allergic rhinitis and generalised itching

Combinations

wu yao + mu xiang + zhi ke
Irregular bowels with a painful, distended abdomen
xiang fu
Irregular, scanty periods.
chi shao + dan shen
Pain from trauma, taken internally and used as an external wash
qiang huo + du huo + ji xue teng
Wind-Damp Bi with joint pain
fu ling pi + sang bai pi
Edema.
chan tui + bai xian pi
Wind-Rash.
cang er zi + xin yi hua
Allergic rhinitis.
shi chang pu
Blocked nose with loss of smell
wu pi yin
Angioneurotic edema.
fang feng + chan tui
Itching and urticaria.
cang er zi + bai zhi + xin yi hua
Allergic rhinitis.

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 3-10g; Tincture: 2-4ml	3-10 g	—	2-4 ml	—	—

Cautions

pregnancy Do not use in pregnancy; Blood-moving herbs are avoided as a class
contraindication Heavy menstrual bleeding, since a Blood-moving herb is wrong where bleeding is already excessive
caution May bring on palpitations
caution Marked Blood or Yin deficiency, as it disperses rather than nourishes

Interactions

Drug interactions

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines: a general precaution for Blood-moving herbs; no interaction has been shown for this herb itself