Many people may not be familiar with the Chinese herb Kou, but when it comes to the spice Kou, we immediately understand its importance. Kou is not only used to enhance the flavor of meat dishes, but it also helps to eliminate unwanted odors.
Image of Kou
[ Medicinal Uses of Kou ]
1. Treats stomach cold with abdominal pain, vomiting, pale lips and tongue, excessive saliva, and loss of appetite (similar to certain types of acute gastritis and ulcers).
You can use 6g of Kou, along with 6g each of Wu Zhu Yu, Yan Hu Suo, Gao Liang Jiang, and Xiang Fu. Boil them in water and drink the decoction. It helps to dispel cold, relieve pain, and stop vomiting.
2. Treats chronic diarrhea caused by deficiency and cold (such as chronic bacterial dysentery and chronic colitis).
Use roasted Kou along with roasted Mu Xiang and roasted He Zi, and make a formula like the Cao Dou Kuo Tang.
Dosage: 1-2g, better to be taken in pill or powder form.
Prescription example: Cao Dou Kuo Tang: 3g roasted Kou, 3g roasted Mu Xiang, 2.4g roasted He Zi, 9g Tian Qi, 9g Huo Tan Mu. Boil them in water and drink the decoction.
[ Introduction to Kou ]
The medicinal part of Kou is its ripe fruit. It is a cluster of seed balls that are white in color and divided into three parts. Each part contains many seeds that are closely attached to each other, forming a slightly smooth cluster.
The capsule of Kou is elliptical, ovate, or olive-shaped, measuring 1.5-3cm in length and 1-2cm in diameter. It is yellowish-brown or reddish-brown in color, with slightly pointed protrusions at both ends. The skin is thick, without thorns, and has raised longitudinal ridges. It cracks open to reveal the seeds.
The seeds are irregularly polygonal in shape, measuring 3-5mm in length and approximately 3mm in diameter. They are covered with a light brown membranous false seed coat, with a longitudinal groove as the seed ridge and a seed hilum at one end.
The seeds are hard. When cut along the seed ridge, they appear obliquely heart-shaped in cross-section, with the seed coat extending inward along the seed ridge, covering about half of the surface area. The endosperm is grayish-white. The fruit skin is smooth and easily broken, containing the seed cluster. It has a fragrant aroma and a cool and spicy taste.
Image of Kou
Kou is harvested when the fruits are ripe in summer or autumn. They are dried until they are 80-90% dry, and then the fruit skin is peeled off and the seed cluster is taken out and dried.
Kou is not only edible, but it can also be used as a medicinal herb. It is mainly taken in the form of decoction after being processed, but it can also be ground into a fine powder for direct consumption.
