- Region
- Asia
- Origin
- Asia (apricot, peach, plum) and North America (wild cherry)
- Other names
- Pruimenfamilie: abrikoos, perzik, Japanse pruim, wilde kers
Asia · Food · № 272
Prunus armeniaca
Food · Asia
Apricot
Prunus armeniaca
Traditionally attributed effects: cough-suppressing, astringent, antibacterial, pain-relieving, diuretic, anti-inflammatory; wild cherry suppresses cough.
Safety notes
Seeds are poisonous in high doses. Traditional use is no proof of effectiveness; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Cautions by tradition (3)
- Herbal medicine worldwide: Seeds are poisonous in high doses.
- Chinese food therapy: Bitter apricot kernel contains amygdalin, which releases cyanide: even small amounts of raw kernel are toxic. Deliberately no dosage is given here; do not eat the kernel raw and do not give it to children.
- Chinese materia medica: Contains amygdalin, which releases cyanide: do not use yourself, certainly not raw or in children.
Preparation
Apricot kernel tincture 10 drops in mulberry leaf tincture for dry cough; peach kernel with dang gui for menstrual complaints.
Use in traditions
Described in herbal medicine (Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic) and natural skin and hair care. The bitter kernels (ku xing ren) are a classic cough remedy in Chinese medicine, among others in Ma Huang Tang. They contain amygdalin, which forms hydrogen cyanide in the body; raw and in large amounts they are therefore poisonous.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Herbal medicine worldwide
Attributed effects
Cough-suppressing, astringent, antibacterial, pain-relieving, diuretic, anti-inflammatory; wild cherry suppresses cough.
Preparation and amount
Apricot kernel tincture 10 drops in mulberry leaf tincture for dry cough; peach kernel with dang gui for menstrual complaints; apricot tonic (apricots, red wine, dang gui) 10 ml twice a day for iron-deficiency anaemia; syrup of unripe Japanese apricot for cough; wild cherry bark for dry cough.
Caution: Seeds are poisonous in high doses.
Natural skin and hair care
Attributed effects
Nourishing oil for dry or mature skin.
Preparation and amount
External: apricot kernel oil in chamomile cleanser for dry skin.
Chinese food therapy
Attributed effects
Bitter apricot kernel relieves cough and breathlessness, makes the lung energy descend again, moistens the bowel and helps with constipation.
Caution: Bitter apricot kernel contains amygdalin, which releases cyanide: even small amounts of raw kernel are toxic. Deliberately no dosage is given here; do not eat the kernel raw and do not give it to children.
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- bitter, slightly warm
- Meridians
- lung, large intestine
Attributed effects
The bitter kernel (xing ren) stops cough and wheezing in cold and heat, especially dry cough, and moistens the bowel in constipation.
Preparation and amount
Deliberately no dosage is given here: only under the supervision of a qualified therapist.
Combinations
- With mulberry leaf and chrysanthemum for dry cough from wind-heat
- With ma huang, gypsum and licorice in ma xing shi gan tang for cough with lung heat
Caution: Contains amygdalin, which releases cyanide: do not use yourself, certainly not raw or in children.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- TinctureSyrup, honey and oxymel
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- Michael & Lesley Tierra, Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine, vol. II: Materia Medica and Herbal Resource (1998)
- Owen Jackson, Chinese Herbal Medicine (2020)
- Penelope Ody, The Complete Medicinal Herbal (1993; 2017)
- Stacey Dugliss-Wesselman & Susan Gregg, Herbal Remedies Made Simple (2018)