Mu Gua木瓜
Chaenomelis Fructus · Chinese Quince Fruit
Overview
The dried fruit of Chinese flowering quince — not the tropical papaya that shares its English and Chinese name, a confusion that catches out patients who buy their own. Sour and warm, it relaxes sinews that have cramped and frees the collaterals, so it is what practitioners reach for when calves knot at night or the legs feel heavy, sore and weak from damp. The same sourness settles a stomach unsettled by damp turbidity, which is why it appears in the classical formulas for vomiting and diarrhea accompanied by muscle cramping.
Nature & Flavor
Sour · WarmChannels
Liver · SpleenTypical Dosage
6–9 g in decoctionActions
3 core actions
- Relaxes the sinews, frees the collateralsWind-damp aching with stiffness, heavy sore legs, cramping of the calves and feet, weakness of the lower limbs.
- Harmonises the Stomach, transforms dampVomiting and diarrhea with abdominal cramping and spasm of the calves — the classical presentation.
- Assists digestionA secondary use: poor appetite and a sense of food sitting undigested.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Mu Gua
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Wind-damp painful obstruction with stiff, heavy limbs
- Night cramps of the calves and feet
- Vomiting and diarrhea accompanied by muscle cramping
- Weakness and soreness of the lower legs
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
Sour and astringent: not used where there is constipation, scanty dark urine, or damp-heat with internal accumulation, since its astringency holds the pathogen in. Large amounts taken over a long period are traditionally said to damage the teeth and bones. This is Chinese quince, not papaya — patients sourcing it themselves are frequently sold the wrong fruit.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: No specific restriction — practitioner judgment applies
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- Ming Yi Bie Lu《名医别录》(classical source, public domain).
2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
3. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
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.