mu gua 木瓜

Pharmaceutical name 英文藥名﹕Fructus Chaenomelis
Botanical name 學名﹕
 ▪ Chaenomeles Speciosa (Sweet) Nakai
 ▪ Cydonia sinensis Thouin
Other Names 別名﹕chen mu gua 陳木瓜，xuan mu gua 宣木瓜，ben gua 本瓜，chuan mu gua 川木瓜。
Common Name 英文名﹕fruit of flowering quince
Distribution 產地﹕
Anhui, Hubei, Zhejiang, Sichuan.
安徽，湖北，浙江， 四川。
Properties (characteristics) 性味﹕
sour, slightly warm
酸，微温。
Channels (meridians) entered 歸經﹕
liver, spleen.
肝，脾。
Medical functions 藥理﹕
1. regulated autonomous nervous system
2. anti-inflammatory
3. anti-rheumatism
4. anti-diuretic
5. analgesic
6. relieve spastic muscles effect
1. 調節植物神經，
2. 抗炎，
3. 抗風濕，
4. 抗利尿，
5. 鎮痛，
6. 緩解肌肉痙攣等作 用
Actions & Indications 主治﹕
Being used for sciatica, restless leg syndrome, cervical spondylosis, bone spurs,  arthritis, pain in loin and knee joints, beriberi with edema,  lack of strength in legs and knees, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic eczema, acute hepatitis with jaundice, prevent cirrhosis of liver resulting in ascites, spasm of gastrocnemius muscle (calf), vascular headache, for lowering blood lipids and overweight
用於治療坐骨神經痛，不寧腿綜合症，頸椎病，骨質增生，濕痺拘孿，腰膝關節炎疼痛，腳氣水腫，腰腿 腳膝無力，風濕，頑癬，急性黃膽性肝炎，防治肝硬變腹水，腓腸肌痙攣，血管神經性頭痛，降脂減肥。
Chemical ingredients 化學成份﹕
Seven compounds were isolated and the structures of these compounds were identified as oleanolic acid(1), betulinic acid(2), 3-O-acetyl pomolic acid(3), ethyl chlorogenate(4), protocatechuic acid(5), gallic acid(6), kojic acid(7), respectively. Conclusion Compounds 4-7 are isolated from the Chaenomeles genus for the first time.. [1]
分別鑒定為齊敦果酸(oleanolic acid, 1)、白樺酸(betulinic acid, 2)、3-O-乙 酰坡模酸(3-O-acetyl pomolic acid, 3)、綠原酸乙酯(ethyl chlorogenate, 4)、原兒茶酸(protocatechuic acid, 5)、沒食子酸(gallic acid, 6)、麴酸 (kojic acid, 7)。　化合物4~7為木瓜屬中首次分離得到的化合物 。[1]
Daly Dosage 每日用量﹕9 -15 g
Samples of formulae 處方舉例﹕
 ▪ For treatment of spasm of gastrocnemius muscle (calf):
   Composition: mu gua, bai shao,  gan cao.
   Make into decoction and use as tea.
   治療腓腸肌痙攣: 木瓜， 白芍 ， 甘 草。
   水煎服。
 ▪ For treatment of muscles pain, muscle atrophy:
   Composition:  zi jing pi 75 g (stir fry with rice wine), dang gui 18.75 g, chuan niu xi     11.25 g, qiang huo 7.5 g, mu gua 11.25 g
   Use 3 kilograms of good quality rice wine. Use double cook and cook for about an hour. Leave it overnight before using as drinking wine. (Source: Yunnan Materia Medica)
   治筋骨疼痛，痰火 痿軟，濕氣流痰：
   處方：紫 荊皮 二兩(酒炒)，當 歸五錢，川 牛膝三錢，川羌活二錢，木瓜三錢。上好酒 五斤，重湯 （隔水燉）煎一炷香（大若一小時）為度，露一夜，去火毒用。(《滇南本草》)
Toxicity & Cautions 毒素與禁忌﹕
Do not use in cases of cold or influenza. Excessive use may harm the teeth and bones.
外感風寒者忌用。長期過度服用宣木瓜可能對牙齒與骨骼有害。 

Note: the herb "mu gua" is not the same as mu gua eaten as fruit, which is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya.
There is a book, Bare Foot Doctor Manual, publish by U.S. government, lists mu gua as fruit of Carica papaya. It is in correct.
註：藥用的木瓜也叫做宣木瓜，與當水果吃的木瓜不同。水果木瓜是Carica papaya 樹的果實，也叫做番木瓜。有一本美國政府出版的赤腳醫生手冊，把中藥木瓜當作水果木瓜。那是錯誤的。
[1]http://www.ceps.com.tw/ec/ecjnlarticleView.aspx?atliid=603627&issueiid=42235&jnliid=1426
(by Joe Hing Kwok Chu)