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    Yemama Apothecary

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    Aromatic Middle-Warming, Coronary Vasodilating & Antifungal Sovereign (芳香化湿 / 温中散寒理气止痛开胸通脉平喘药)

    山鸡椒 / 木姜子 / 毕澄茄 / 山苍子 — Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.

    Pinyin: Shānjījiāo / Mùjiāngzǐ / Bìchéngqié · Malay: Medang Kasap / Medang Melukut / May Chang · Family: Lauraceae (樟科)

    Botanical Illustration

    Energetics

    Warm (微温 / 温)

    Flavor

    Pungent, intensely lemon-peppery aromatic, spicy (辛、大香、微辣)

    Meridians

    Spleen (脾), Stomach (胃), Heart (心), Lung (肺)

    Traditional Edict

    Mountain Pepper (May Chang / Mu Jiang Zi / Bi Cheng Qie). Pungent lemon-peppery berries. Warms middle burner, dispels stomach cold gas, stops vomiting, unblocks coronary chest pain (Bi Tong), calms asthmatic wheezing, and destroys ringworm.

    Cautions & Contraindications

    • Do not boil berries >15 min (destroys volatile citral). Contraindicated in severe Yin deficiency with blazing fire (dry mouth, red tongue, night sweats). Caution in pregnancy.

    Clinical Applications

    • Coronary artery disease and acute angina pectoris (rapid coronary vasodilation), functional gastric cold colic with vomiting, bronchial asthma with bronchospasm, and cutaneous onychomycosis/tinea.

    Quality Markers

    Citral (Geranial + Neral) >= 60.00%-75.00%, Limonene >= 10.00% & Essential Oils >= 3.00% (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)

    Mechanism & Phytochemistry

    1. Citral (geranial + neral) competitively blocks voltage-gated calcium channels in vascular and bronchial smooth muscle, dilating coronary arteries and relieving chest tightness. 2. Downregulates 5-LOX. 3. Disrupts fungal ergosterol synthesis (MIC 0.5-1.0 uL/mL).

    Preparation & Dosage

    THE SOVEREIGN MOUNTAIN PEPPER CORONARY CHEST TISANE: 3-6 g dried berries (crushed lightly before boiling) simmered in 300 mL water for 10 min. Essential Oil (May Chang Oil): 1-2% dilution in carrier oil for chest/joint rubbing. Fruit decoction: 3-9 g.

    Appended Prescriptions

    • 1. The Sovereign Coronary Chest-Unblocking Synergy with Salvia miltiorrhiza (Dan Shen) and Dalbergia odorifera. 2. Stomach-Warming Anti-Emetic Decoction with Zingiber officinale (Halia Bara).

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    Yemama Apothecary · Petaling Jaya, Malaysia · For educational and clinical reference only