|
Jambolan
Syzygium cumini,
HAINAN CAT-TAIL PEACH, HAINAN PU
TAO
The jambolan or Hainnan cat-tail
peach, Hainan pu tao (Hainan cat-tail peach), is also known as wu kou guo
(dark mouth fruit) and zi pu tao (purple cattail peach). It is a tall
evergreen tree reaching 10 meters or more. The fruit has a rectangular
appearance and resembles a Chinese olive.
Its length is 10-20 mm, diameter 5-10 mm, the skin is smooth and the fruit
contains a single stone. It ripens at the end of summer when the color
changes from red-purple to dark purple.
The flesh of the fruit is pulpy, with a sour-sweet flavor. When eaten it may
cause the saliva to froth and dye the mouth and tongue purple. The nature of
the fruit is cool.
The virtue of the fruit is that it helps moisten the lungs and stops
coughing. It contains carbohydrates, vitamins, organic acid, tannin, dark
red resin, etc.
APPLICATIONS
1. CHRONIC COUGH; ASTHMA. Take 15 grams of fresh fruit, discard the stone
and eat. Do this 3 times a day. Alternatively take 15 grams of dried fruit,
add water and steam till cooked. Take this 3 times a day.
2. WHOOPING COUGH. Take 15 grams of dried fruit and the gall bladder of a
hen plus an appropriate amount of sugar. Add water and steam till cooked.
Take this once a day.
3. COUGH ASSOCIATED WITH TUBERCULOSIS AND CHEST PAIN. Take 30 grams of fresh
fruit or 15 grams of dry fruit, 15 grams of Brown's lily (Lilium brownii)
and 15 grams of sugar. Add water, steam till cooked and mash. Discard the
stone but eat the rest and drink the liquid. Do this every evening before
going to sleep.
4. DIARRHOEA IN CHILDREN. Take 6 grams of unripe fruit and 6 grams of
stir-fried rice, add water and steam till cooked. Serve the full amount 3
times a day.
5. STOMACH ACHE. Take 30 grams of dried fruit and stir-fry till it smells
fragrant. Add water and steam till cooked then serve. Do this three times a
day for a period of 10 days.
|
