WH Acupuncture & Herbs Centre

It is the dried kernel of the arbor Myristica fragrans Houtt, family Myristicacene. The ripe fruit is collected in winter and spring. After the shell is removed, it is dried and then roasted,get rid of the oil for medication.

[Medicinal Properties]: Pungent and warm; relate to the spleen, stomach and large intestine meridians.

[Medicinal Efficacies]: Astringe the intestine to stop diarrhea; warm the middle energizer to promote flow of qi.

[Clinical Applications]:

1. Diarrhea of deficiency type and cold dysentery It is the essential medicinal for dysentery of deficiency cold. For chronic diarrhea and dysentery due to asthenia and cold of spleen and stomach, it can be used in combination with Rougui, Ganjiang, Dangshen; for diarrhea at dawn due to yang-deficiency of the spleen and kidney, it can be used in combination with Buguzhi, Wuweizi, Wuzhuyu, such as in the formula Sishen Pill. 
2. Stomach-cold leading to distending pain, poor appetite and vomiting In treating stomach-cold with stagnation of qi manifesting as abdominal pain, poor appetite and vomiting, it is often used in combination with Muxiang, Ganjiang and Banxia. 

[Usage and Dosage]: 3-9g is used in decoction and 1.5-3g is used in pill or powder. It must be roasted after being drained off the oil for oral use.

[Precautions]: It is contraindicated in those patients with dysentery due to stagnation of dampness and heat.

[Medicinal Comparison]:

[Similarities]: Roudouko and Doukou have the same functions of warm the middle energizer to promote flow of qi. They all can treat stomach-cold with stagnation of qi manifesting as abdominal distension and pain, poor appetite and vomiting.

[Differences]: Roudoukou has the function of astringing the intestine to stop diarrhea, it can treat chronic diarrhea and dysentery due to asthenia and cold of spleen and stomach, diarrhea at dawn due to yang-deficiency of the spleen and kidney. But Doukou has the function of transforming dampenss and stopping vomiting. It can treat oppression in the chest, poor appetite due to retention of damp-heat in the middle energizer or at the early stage of damp-warm disease; vomiting due to stomach-cold, blockage of dampness, stagnation of qi; vomiting and poor appetite of infants due to stomach-cold.

[Side Effects]: This medicinal can cause poisoning if it is not be processed after being drained off the oil for oral use or over dosage. In mild cases symptoms include hallucinations, nausea, and vertigo; in more serious example, symptoms may include incoherent talk, coma, dilatation of pupil, slow breathing, abolition of reflex, even death. Therefore, it is not utilized in the raw form generally.

肉豆蔻为肉豆蔻科植物肉豆蔻myristica fragrans Houtt的成熟种仁。主产于马来西亚、印度尼西亚；我国广东、广西、云南亦有栽培。冬、春两季果实成熟时采收。除去皮壳后，干燥，煨制去油用。