Aidus & E-Fong Herbal Solution
Herbal Medicine for Dispelling Dampness - (Bai) Dou Kou
                                           
                                     
                                            Dou Kou (Bai)                          
                                     
                                   Round Cardamon Seed
                                  Semen Amomi Cardamomi

This herb is the dried ripen fruit of the perennial herb, Amomum cardamo mum L. (Family Zingiberaceae), mainly
produced in Vietnam, Thailand and Bur mar. It has been cultivated in Guang Dong, Guang Xi and Yun Nan. It is
collected when the fruits are ripe, dried or fumigated by sulphur, used after being broken Into pieces. It is also called
Kou Ren or Bai Dou Kou by some of TCM Practitioners.
Properties: Being pungent in flavour, warm in nature, it acts on the spleen, stomach, and lung channels. The pungent
flavour of the herb can disperse the warm dryness, and the fragrance can dispel dampness. The functions of the herb
that it has on the body includes eliminating the dampness in the middle jiao, relieving the stagnation of Qi in the spleen
and stomach, warming the stomach and arresting vomiting. It is therefore indicated for the syndromes of dampness
retention in the middle jiao, Qi stasis in the spleen and stomach, vomiting due to stomach cold and the early stage of
damp warm syndrome.
Effects: Dispelling dampness, promoting Qi circulation, normalizing the functions of  spleen and stomach and arresting
vomiting.
Indications:
1. For the syndromes of excessive dampness in the middle-jiao, Qi stagnalion caused by pathogenic dampness,
incoordination between the spleen and stomach, manifested as oppressive chest, greasy tongue coating, poor appetite, it
is used in combination with the drugs for dispelling dampness and promoting Qi circulation, such as Chen Pi (tangerine
peel), Ban Xia (pinellia tuber), Cang Zhu (atractylodes rhizome) and Hou Pu (magnoia bark). In cases of the early stage
of dampness warm syndrome, headache due to cold and heat, heaviness of the limbs, oppressive chest, and greasy
tongue coating, it is used in combination with the drugs for clearing away dampness heat and facilitating the flow of lung
qi, such as Ku Xin Ren (apricot kernel), Yi Yi Ren (coix seed), Zhi Ban Xia (pinellia tuber) and Tong Cao (ricepaper
pith), known as San Ten Tang (Decoction of Three Kernels).
2. For the syndromes of cold-dampness retention in the middle jiao, failure of descending and rebellious rising of the
stomach qi, marked as vomiting, and regurgitation, it is used with tangerine peel, pinellia tuber, fresh ginger to dispel
dampness and cold, lower the adverse flow of Qi and arrest vomiting.
Dosage and Administration: 3~6 g. Break in to pieces and then decoct.
Modern Researches: Experimental researches reveal that the volatile oils contained in this herb have the functions of
promoting gastric secretion, enhancing peristalsis and inhibiting abnormal intestinal fermentation. It also acts as stomach
tonic and antemetic. The decoction of the fruit shell inhibits in vitro the growth of shigella dysenteriae.