Mu Hu Die (Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent.)

☯ TCM Properties

Category: transforming_phlegm

Temperature: cool

Taste: bitter, sweet

Meridians: lung, liver, stomach

Functions:

Clears the Lungs and Benefits the Throat; Harmonizes the Liver and Stomach; Stops Cough; Benefits the Throat and Restores the Voice; Promotes Tissue Regeneration and Heals Sores

Botanical Description

Oroxylum indicum, the Indian trumpet flower or midnight horror, is a medium-sized deciduous tree of the family Bignoniaceae, reaching 8 to 12 meters, native to deciduous and subtropical forests across India, southern China, and Southeast Asia. Its trunk is straight with grayish, soft, corky bark. The very large, two- or three-pinnately compound leaves are clustered near the branch tips, lending a sparse, almost palm-like silhouette. Long, erect terminal racemes bear large, fleshy, fetid bell-shaped flowers with a dark reddish-purple to brownish corolla, opening at night and pollinated by bats. The pendulous, sword-shaped seed pods can reach 0.5 to 1 meter long and split open to release stacks of large, broadly winged, papery seeds with a thin straw-yellow membrane surrounding a small central seed body; these winged seeds are Mu Hu Die.

Dosage

Form	Amount	Frequency	Duration	Population	Notes
decoction	6-15g	Daily	—	—	—

Cultural & Historical Context

Traditional Chinese Uses

Mu Hu Die (oroxylum seed, tree of damocles seed) is a cool, sweet-bitter herb used in Chinese medicine to nourish Lung Yin, relieve cough, soothe the throat, and clear Heat. It is used for Lung Yin deficiency with dry cough, a raw or sore throat, and hoarseness. When combined with honey, it is a classic home remedy for throat irritation and voice strain. It also settles the Liver and Kidney for mild deficiency patterns with dizziness and blurred vision.

Traditional American Uses

None Documented

Mu Hu Die