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    Yemama Apothecary

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    Summer-Heat Clearing, Fluid-Engendering & Glycemic-Modulating Sovereign (清热消暑 / 生津止渴化痰清肺利咽利水降血糖润肠通便 — 东南亚解暑降糖第一长蛇瓜 / 传统消暑利水与消渴圣瓜 / 葫芦科清热生津良药)

    蛇瓜 / 蛇豆 / 蛇王瓜 / 蛇丝瓜 / 大蛇瓜 / 蛇状栝楼 — Trichosanthes cucumerina L. (syn. Trichosanthes anguina)

    Pinyin: Shéguā / Shédòu / Shéwángguā · Malay: Petola Ular / Ketola Ular / Labu Ular / Padwal · Family: Cucurbitaceae (葫芦科)

    Botanical Illustration

    Energetics

    Cool to Cold (微寒 / 凉)

    Flavor

    Sweet, bland, slightly bitter, subacid (甘、淡、微苦、凉)

    Meridians

    Lung (肺), Stomach (胃), Large Intestine (大肠), Liver (肝)

    Traditional Edict

    Snake Gourd (Petola Ular / She Gua / Padwal). Extremely long twisting snake-like fruits with white lace-fringed night flowers. Sovereign Summer-Heat and Thirst-Quenching Gourd: cools summer heat, generates stomach fluids, blunts diabetic glucose surges, liquefies phlegm.

    Cautions & Contraindications

    • Consume tender immature green gourds (mature orange fruits become bitter and fibrous). High culinary, dietary, and pediatric safety profile. Safe in pregnancy and lactation.

    Clinical Applications

    • Summer heat exhaustion and febrile dehydration, Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (glycemic moderation and postprandial blunting), acute pharyngitis, and dry habitual constipation.

    Quality Markers

    Cucurbitacin B & D, Punicic Acid (Trichosanic acid) >= 25.0%-32.0% in seed oil, Galactomannan & Soluble Fiber >= 3.5%

    Mechanism & Phytochemistry

    1. High structured water (94%) and potassium restore cellular hydration. 2. Galactomannan and cucurbitacin B delay intestinal carbohydrate absorption. 3. Punicic acid exerts anti-inflammatory protection.

    Preparation & Dosage

    THE SOVEREIGN PETOLA ULAR SUMMER-HEAT & GLYCEMIC SOUP: 200 g fresh tender Snake Gourd sliced into rounds, simmered in chicken or fish broth with ginger and red dates for 15 min; consumed warm with meals. Fresh juice for summer heat: 100 mL.

    Appended Prescriptions

    • 1. The Sovereign Summer Heatstroke Recovery Broth with Luffa acutangula (Petola Segi) and ginger. 2. Glycemic-Moderating Vegetable Stir-Fry with Momordica charantia (Bitter Gourd).

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