VARIANT NAMES: Wumai (Black Wheat), Huaqiao, Tianqiao, Qiaozi.
ORIGIN: The seed of Fagopyrum esculentum (Polygonaceae).
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: Its achenia contains salicylamide, 4-hydrcxy phenyl methylamine, N-salicylidene-salicylamine.
NATURE, FLAVOR AND CHANNEL TROPISM: Sweet in flavor and cool in nature, acting on the channels of of the spleen, stomach and large intestine.
EFFICIENCIES AND INDICATIONS: Promoting functional activity of the stomach and relieving intestine stuffiness, keeping the adverse qi flowing downward and removing food stagnancy, and removing noxious damp-heat. It is used to treat summer cholera, retention of food in the stomach and intestines, chronic diarrhea, fasting dysentery, Erysipelas, Carbuncle, scrofula and scald burn.
DIRECTIONS: To be made into thin gruel, or boluses or powder out of its flour for internal use. It can also be ground into powder for external application. It should not be taken for long, and it should be avoided if one suffers from insufficiency of the spleen-yang.