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Trichosanthes Root

천화분 (瓜蔞根) · Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim.
Heat-clearing, fluid-generating herb Cold Bitter Not specified in the source text
NatureCold
TasteBitter
MeridiansNot specified in the source text
Part usedRoot (fruit, seed, and starch recorded separately)
FamilyCucurbitaceae
CategoryHeat-clearing, fluid-generating herb
Find by concern: Thirst

Overview

Trichosanthes root, "heaven-flower powder" (天花粉), is called in the Donguibogam the holy medicine for wasting-thirst — the classical pattern of constant thirst with a dry mouth. The text notes that the best roots are those left in the ground for many years and gone deep. The plant is unusually generous: the fruit (瓜蔞), the seed (瓜蔞仁), and a starch made from the root in the same way as kudzu starch are each described separately, each with its own role for the chest, phlegm, and fluids.

In the Donguibogam

東醫
寶鑑
性寒, 味苦, 無毒. 主消渴, 身熱煩滿. 除腸胃中痼熱, 八疸身面黃, 脣乾口燥. 通小腸, 排膿, 消腫毒. 療乳癰發背, 痔瘻瘡癤, 通月水, 消撲損瘀血.
Source: Donguibogam, Tangaek-pyeon (Herbology volume)
TranslationIts nature is cold, its taste bitter, and it is non-toxic. It mainly treats wasting-thirst and body heat with vexing fullness. It removes entrenched heat in the intestines and stomach, the eight kinds of jaundice with yellow body and face, and dry lips and mouth. It opens the small intestine, drains pus, resolves swollen toxin, treats breast abscess, back-sprouting sores, hemorrhoid fistula and boils, opens menstruation, and resolves bruising and static blood.

Traditional uses recorded in the Donguibogam

  • Clears heat, generates fluids
  • Quenches thirst
  • Drains pus, resolves swelling
  • Moistens the lung

Traditional applications recorded in the classical text

  • Constant thirst with dry mouth (wasting-thirst pattern)
  • Dry lips and mouth
  • Boils and swollen sores
  • Lingering heat in the gut

Traditional preparation

Roots from plants left many years in deep soil are best. A starch can be made from the root by the same method as kudzu starch and was recommended for deficiency-heat people.

This describes traditional preparation recorded in the classics, not a recommendation for use today. DonguiHub does not provide dosage guidance — consult a qualified professional before using any herb.

Cautions

Caution: The Donguibogam records no toxicity, but records that it "opens menstruation" (通月水); it should be used with particular care during pregnancy. Persistent excessive thirst can signal a metabolic condition that needs medical evaluation. Consult a professional.
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Frequently asked questions

Why is it called the "holy medicine" for wasting-thirst?

The Donguibogam quotes the physician Zhu Danxi calling heaven-flower powder the sacred herb for the thirst-and-dryness pattern — the single use the text is most emphatic about.

What is the difference between the root and the fruit?

They are separate entries: the root generates fluids and clears heat, while the fruit (瓜蔞) is described as washing grease and residue from the chest and treating wheezing with phlegm cough.

What is "heaven-flower" starch?

A starch made from the root by the same method as kudzu starch; the text says it is excellent for people with deficiency heat, quenching thirst and generating fluids.

Sources