VARIANT NAMES: Tiankuizi, Kuihuazi, Kuizi.
ORIGIN: The seed of Helianthus annuus [Compositae].
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: Containing about 50% of fatty oil (mainly linoleic acid, phospholipid, β-sitosterol, etc.), soluble monosaccharide, diose, trisaccharide, organic acid (such as citric acid, tartaric acid, chlorogenic acid, quinic acid), and β-carotene, phytine, 3, 4-benzopyrene (its content is greatest in the shell).
NATURE, FLAVOR AND CHANNEL TROPISM: Sweet in flavor and neutral in nature.
EFFICIENCIES AND INDICATIONS: Reinforcing the spleen and moisturizing the intestinal tract, arresting dysentery and treating Boils on Hand and Foot. It is used to treat Constipation due to dryness of the intestinal tract, dysentery with pus and blood in the stool, Carbuncle and swelling.
DIRECTIONS: To be eaten parched, cooked, or decocted for oral use; it is to be pounded for external application,or extracted to get its oil for application to the affected part. Raw sunflower seeds have a better effect of promoting pus drainage, so they should be eaten cooked.