Luffa acutangula (Sigualuo)

Distribution:
All China especially in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces.

Properties (characteristics):
Sweet, cool. Seeds: bitter, slightly sweet, neutral.

Channels (meridians) entered:
Lung, liver, stomach.
 
Medical functions:
Its chemical ingredient oleanolic folic acid can heal the acute liver injury of rats induced by carbon tetrachloride. It can reduce the degeneration of the liver granulovacuolar degeneration, cytoplasnic relaxation, hepatocellular necrosis and lobular degeneration reaction.

Other effect: oleanolic folic acid possesses diuretic effect and  cardiac stimulating effect and it can inhibit the growth of the S-180 tumor cells.
 
Actions & Indications:
Clear channel and promote circulation, rid of pain. Being used in spastic muscles, Lumbar Herniated Disc, bulging rib cage with pain, swollen breast or milk not flowing.
 
Dosage:
Taking orally: 4.5 g ~9 g.  in decoction or bake and grind into powder.
Externally application: bake, grind and make into paste and apply to affected areas.
Seeds: for taking orally, 3 ~ 6 g, make into decoction or stir fried till brown and make into powder.  For external use: make into powder and mix with liquid to make into paste and apply to affected areas.