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Cura x Cura

Bai Guo白果

Ginkgo Semen · Ginkgo Nut · Ginkgo Seed

Herbs that Transform Phlegm and Stop Coughing 化痰止咳平喘药《日用本草》

Overview

A toxic seed — the kernel of the ginkgo, and a quite different medicine from the leaf extracts sold for memory. Sweet, bitter and astringent, it gathers Lung qi inward and settles wheezing, and it firms up leaking below: chronic vaginal discharge, frequent urination and bed-wetting. It is always cooked, never eaten raw, and the dry-fried form is both less toxic and more astringent, so it is the usual dispensary choice.

Nature & Flavor

Sweet, bitter, astringent · Neutral · Toxic

Channels

Lung

Typical Dosage

5–10 g in decoction
白果Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

3 core actions

  • Astringes the Lung, settles wheezingChronic wheezing and asthma with copious phlegm, where the Lung has lost its grip — classically alongside Ma Huang, which disperses while Bai Guo gathers.
  • Checks discharge and urinationPersistent whitish vaginal discharge, frequent urination, dribbling and bed-wetting.
  • The dry-fried form is the safer oneDry-frying reduces the toxic constituent and strengthens the astringent effect; raw kernels are not dispensed for internal use.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Bai Guo

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Chronic wheezing and asthma with abundant phlegm
    - Persistent vaginal discharge on a deficient background
    - Frequent urination, dribbling and childhood bed-wetting
    - Cough with copious sputum in the elderly

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

AsthmaChronic bronchitisUrinary frequencyEnuresisLeukorrhea

Contraindications

Cautions

Bai Guo is toxic. The raw or lightly cooked kernel contains ginkgotoxin, which can cause vomiting, agitation, breathing difficulty and convulsions — children are markedly more susceptible and there are documented poisonings from eating a quantity of nuts. Never take it raw, never exceed the prescribed dose, and do not give it to children outside a practitioner's prescription. It is also astringent, so it is not used while an exterior pathogen or thick phlegm-heat is still to be released. Seek urgent medical help for vomiting, agitation or seizure after ingestion.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: Use in pregnancy only under practitioner supervision, given the seed's toxicity.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    2. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
    3. 《中华本草》.

Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.