Prunus armeniaca (Kuxingren)

Distribution:
Distributed in Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Sichuan, Guizhou provinces of China.

Properties (characteristics):
Warm, bitter
 
Channels (meridians) entered:
Lung, large intestine.
 
Medical functions:
Arresting cough and calming asthma effect
Laxative effect
anticancer effect
ku xing ren oil can soften the cuticle of the skin, moistening skin, protect the blood vessels and nerve endings, tissues and organs, and has antibiotic effect.

The enzymatic hydrolysis can generated hydrogen cyanide and can inhibit tyrosinase activity in vivo, eliminate pigmentation, freckles, dark spots. So, it can produce beautifying effect on the skin.

Actions & Indications:
For arresting coughing and asthma, expelling phlegm, help bowel movements, Pneumatocele, Hemoptysis, Atelectasis.

Cautions:
Xing ren contain hydrogen cyanide which is a strong toxin. Eating 20 to 30 piece may cause toxic reaction even death. The toxin can be hydrolyzed in cooking and can render it non toxic. It is not recommended for small children.

100 g apricot kernels can decompose and can release 100 ~ 250 mg of hydrogen cyanide . Hydrocyanic acid lethal dose is 60 mg. Eating ten so pieces of apricot seed can cause poisoning in children. Do not use in patients for cough with yinxu (yin deficient) and with loose bowels.