Xi Gua西瓜

Use cautiously in Spleen-Stomach Deficiency Cold.

• ·It has more recently been used to treat icteric hepatitis.
• ·It is called the 'natural White Tiger Decoction' Bai Hu Tang because it cools Lung and Stomach Heat, resolves Summerheat, relieves thirst and irritability, and promotes urination.
• ·The simplest way to use it is simply to eat the watermelon.
• ·It cools the Heart by directing Pericardium Heat down through the Small Intestine and Bladder.
• ·It helps restore sobriety after excessive alcohol intake.
• ·Xi Gua and Rz. Anemarrhenae Zhi Mu both clear Summerheat and resolve irritable thirst while promoting urination. Xi Gua, sweet, bland, juicy, and Cold, clears Lung Heat, relieves thirst, and leaches out Dampness through urination; Zhi Mu, bitter, Cold, and moist, clears Lung Heat, cools the Stomach, drains Ministerial Fire, and nourishes Lung and Stomach Yin.
• ·Exocarpium Citrulli, the watermelon rind, Xi Gua Pi, is less cooling than the flesh but a stronger diuretic, making it best for edema; it is also used for jaundice with dark urine.
• ·Emerald Raiment of Watermelon Xi Gua Cui Yi — the outermost layer of the fruit — is used specifically in decoction for Summerheat, at a dosage of 5-10g.