Watermelon

VARIANT NAMES: Hangua, Tiansheng Baihu Tang, Xiagua, Shuigua.

ORIGIN: The flesh of Citrullus vulgaris (Cucurbitaceae).

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: Watermelon juice contains citrulline, α-amino-β-(pyrazolyl-N) propionic acid, aminopropionic acid, α-aminobutyric acid, glutamic acid, arginine, phosphoric acid, malic acid, ethylene glycol, betaine, adenine, fructose, glucose, sucrose, salts (mainly sylvite), vitamin C, β-carotene, γ-carotene, lycopene, hexahy drolycopene; it also contains a little volatile constituent, such as acetaldehyde, butylaldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, hexanal.

NATURE, FLAVOR AND CHANNEL TROPISM: Sweet in flavor and cold in nature, acting on the channels of the heart, stomach and urinary bladder.

EFFICIENCIES AND INDICATIONS: Clearing away summer-heat, relieving restlessness and thirst, and inducing diuresis. It is used for treatment of restlessness and thirst caused by summer-heat, consumption of the body fluid due to excessive heat, Prostatitis, Prostatic Hyperplasia, aphthae, and Chronic Pharyngitis.

DIRECTIONS: Eat it raw, extract it to drink its juice, decoct it or boil it down into jam fcr oral administration. Those who suffer from loose stools due to insufficiency of the spleen-yang should not eat it.