nan gua zi

Name: nan gua zi
Creator: Bencao Index

南瓜子·Semen Cucurbitae

pumpkin seed and husk

About nan gua zi

Nan Gua Zi (南瓜子) is the seed and husk of the pumpkin, recorded as Semen Cucurbitae Moschatae. It is sweet in flavour and neutral in temperature, entering the Stomach and Large Intestine channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that kill parasites.

Names

Pinyin	nan gua zi
Chinese	南瓜子
Latin Name	Semen Cucurbitae·Semen Cucurbitae Moschatae
English Name	pumpkin seed and husk·Pumpkin Seeds And Husks
Japanese	nankashi
Korean	namgwaja

Classification

Category: Kill Parasites
Channels: Large Intestine, Stomach
Flavour: Sweet
Temperature: Neutral
Part used: Seed, Husk
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Species: Cucurbita maschata
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Expels parasites and relieves pain

Tapeworm, roundworm, threadworm and blood flukes (schistosomiasis); may be used alone
Tapeworm, together with Bing Lang: this seed paralyses the middle and rear segments while Bing Lang acts on the head, so the whole worm can pass intact
Parasites in children, the elderly and weak patients who cannot tolerate harsher anthelmintics
Acute schistosomiasis (a historical use, not current standard therapy)

Supports fluid metabolism after childbirth

Insufficient breast milk
Swollen hands and feet after giving birth

Combinations

bing lang
Dislodges and expels tapeworms
hu tao ren
Parasites in malnourished patients

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 30-60g; Tapeworm: 60-120g; Schistosomiasis: 120-200g	30-60 g	—	—	—	—

Cautions

caution Eaten to excess it obstructs Qi and blocks the diaphragm
caution The big one-off doses used against tapeworm are medicine rather than food and are traditionally given under supervision
caution Only raw seed is used against worms; roasted, salted or flavoured snack seeds are not the medicinal form
caution In a field trial of the combined protocol with areca nut, close to half of patients had mild nausea and dizziness that passed without treatment
caution On its own it expels the whole tapeworm less reliably than the full sequence with Bing Lang and a purgative
caution Known allergy to pumpkin or the gourd family

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