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Mandarin Orange
Citrus reticulata Blanco, GAN
The mandarin orange, gan, is also called bian gan (flattened mandarin) and
gan guo (mandarin fruit). It is an evergreen small tree or shrub, growing to
a height of 2-3 meters. The fruit is shaped like a flattened ball with a
diameter of 70-90 mm. The unripe fruit is green in color and turns
orange-yellow as it ripens. the fruit is very easy to peel. The juicy part
of the fruit is divided into 10-12 segments, and these are easy to divide.
The very centre of the fruit is hollow. The fruit contains abundant juice,
has a fragrant smell and a sweet or acid-sweet flavor. The seeds are egg
shaped with a dimple at one end. The fruit's nature is neither hot nor cold
and it contains no poison.
The fruit can nourish and benefit the lungs, improve the spleen, help stop
coughs and clear phlegm. The fruit juice contains abundant glucose,
fructose, vitamins A, B, C, D, P, etc. The fruit skin contains volatile oil,
mandarin peel ketone, orange peel glucoside, vitamin B1, inositol, etc.
APPLICATIONS
1. AS AN AID DURING TREATMENT FOR SEVERAL TYPES OF ILLNESS; AS AN AID TO
NUTRITION AFTER ILLNESS. Take 1-2 pieces of fresh fruit, discard the skin
and eat. Do this every day 2-3 times.
2. DRY THROAT WITH FEVER AND THIRST; URINATING, PAINFUL AND ASTRINGENT. Take
3-4 fresh fruits, peel and eat. Wait 4 hours and again eat 3-4 fruits. After
this eat 1-2 fruits every day 3 times.
3. SENILE OR CHRONIC COUGH WITH EXCESSIVE PHLEGM. Take one fresh fruit,
including the skin, 15 grams of sugar and 2 slices of fresh ginger. Add
water and steam in a sealed container for one hour then eat, including the
skin.
4. HANGOVER. Take 2 fresh fruits, squeeze the juice and discard the skin.
Add 1 cup of boiled water, mix and drink. (Drinking water is always boiled
in China. Ed.)
5. PULMONARY EMPHYSEMA. Take one fresh fruit, including the skin, and 5 red
dates. Add water and steam for half an hour. Eat the whole fruit and the
dates.
6. INDIGESTION LEADING TO SWOLLEN CHEST AND STOMACH, WITH PAIN. Take the
fresh peel from half a fruit, wash clean and chew. Alternatively take dried
skin and grind to powder, place 1.5 grams in a container, pour on some
boiled water and drink. Allow 4 hours to pass before repeating the
treatment.
7. STOMACH PAIN; SWOLLEN STOMACH; BELCHING; ACID TASTE WHEN SWALLOWING. Take
50 grams of dried skins and grind to a powder and mix with 93 grams of
ground cuttle fish bone. Take 3 grams of the mixture, pour on boiled water
and drink. Do this 3 times a day.
8. HERNIA; SWOLLEN TESTICLES. Take 30 grams of mandarin seeds and stir-fry
till fragrant. Mix with 9 grams of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), cover with
water, steam and serve. do this in the morning and again in the evening.
9. LACK OF MILK AFTER CHILDBIRTH; BREASTS HARD, RED, HOT, SWOLLEN, PAINFUL.
Take 15 grams of seeds and crush them, add 30 grams of
rice wine* and some water, steam and serve.
do this in the morning and again in the evening.
(* Japanese sake may be used. Ed.)
PREPARATIONS
1. DRIED SKIN. Collect the fruit skin and dry it in the air in a windy
place, or put it in the sun to dry. It is used in this form in traditional
medicine.
2. SEEDS. The seeds are simply dried in the sun and are then ready for use.
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