Cushaw

VARIANT NAMES: Maigua, Fdngua, Wogua, Jindonggua, Fugua, Fangua.

ORIGIN: The fruit of Cucurbita moschata [Cucurbitaceae].

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: The flesh of the fruit contains 20.9mg% of citrulline and arginine, asparagine, gynesine, adenine, carotene, vitamin B, ascorbic acid, fat, glucose, sucrose, pentosan and mannitol.

NATURE, FLAVOR AND CHANNEL TROPISM: Sweet in flavor and warm in nature, acting on the channels of the spleen and stomach.

EFFICIENCIES AND INDICATIONS: Invigorating the spleen and stomach and replenishing qi, relieving inflammation and pains, removing toxic materials of any substance and destroying intestinal parasites. Click to learn Sciatica in TCM.

DIRECTIONS: To be eaten steamed, cooked, or to be decocted for oral administration, or to be mashed for external use. Cushaw has the effects of invigoration, replenishment, alleviation of water retention and inducing diuresis when eaten cooked, but it can expel intestinal ascarides and clear away toxic materials when eaten raw.