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    Yemama Apothecary

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    Spleen-Warming, Urogenital-Clearing & Diuretic Lithagogue Sovereign (温中散寒 / 暖肾行气利湿通淋清热化浊止痛开音 — 泌尿淋浊与暖肾第一尾胡椒 / 传统妇科白带与咽喉要药)

    荜澄茄 / 澄茄 / 尾胡椒 / 毕澄茄 / 印尼尾胡椒 — Piper cubeba L.f. (syn. Cubeba officinalis)

    Pinyin: Bìchéngqiā / Chéngqiā / Wěi Hújiāo · Malay: Lada Ekor / Lada Berekor / Kemukus / Temukus · Family: Piperaceae (胡椒科)

    Botanical Illustration

    Energetics

    Warm (温 / 辛温)

    Flavor

    Pungent, slightly bitter, intensely aromatic, camphoraceous with pine-nutmeg warmth (辛、微苦、大香、清凉芳香、温涩)

    Meridians

    Spleen (脾), Stomach (胃), Kidney (肾), Urinary Bladder (膀胱)

    Traditional Edict

    Cubeb Pepper (Lada Ekor / Bi Cheng Qie). Peppercorns bearing distinctive permanent tails (pedicels). Supreme Islamic Unani and Nanyang monarch for urogenital infections: clears cloudy gonorrhea and burning cystitis, warms Kidney, opens hoarse voice.

    Cautions & Contraindications

    • Do not boil >15 min (preserves volatile cubebin). CONTRAINDICATED in acute urethritis with pure Yin-deficiency blazing fire before heat is cleared. Safe in moderate culinary/tonic dosages.

    Clinical Applications

    • Urogenital tract infections (gonorrhea, chronic bacterial cystitis with turbid urine, leukorrhea), functional gastric cold colic, hoarseness and vocal fatigue, and calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis.

    Quality Markers

    Cubebin (荜澄茄脂素) >= 1.50%-3.00%, Sabinene >= 15.0% & Volatile Oil >= 10.0%-18.0% (HPLC Chinese Pharmacopoeia)

    Mechanism & Phytochemistry

    1. Cubebin and volatile cubebic acid excrete via renal tubular filtration, exerting direct antiseptic bactericidal lysis in the urinary tract. 2. Sabinene and cineole liquefy vocal cord mucus. 3. Spleen-warming carminative spasmolysis.

    Preparation & Dosage

    THE SOVEREIGN LADA EKOR UROGENITAL ANTISEPTIC DECOCTION: 3 to 6 g crushed tailed peppercorns simmered in 400 mL water with Plantago asiatica (Che Qian Cao) for 15 min; taken twice daily for cystitis and turbid urine. Vocal tea: 2-3 g with honey.

    Appended Prescriptions

    • 1. The Sovereign Urogenital Strangury Clearance Synergy with Plantago asiatica (Che Qian Cao) and Alisma orientalis. 2. Aromatic Vocal Cord Opening Tisane with Oroxylum indicum (Mu Hu Die).

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