Buddha’s hand melon, the Chinese medicine named Buddha’s hand, has the effect of detoxifying the liver and relieving depression, regulating qi and zhong (regulating the qi of the spleen and stomach to make the spleen and stomach function smoothly), resolving phlegm and drying dampness, etc. It can be used as an adjunctive treatment for the chest and ribs (collectively referred to as the chest and ribs area) distension and fullness, epigastric (gastro-epigastric and abdominal) platitude (stomach distension and discomfort), coughing with excessive phlegm and other conditions, and is taken by decocting the soup and taking it internally.
Foshan is a medicinal food with the same origin, pungent, sour and bitter in taste, warm in nature, and mainly enters the spleen, stomach, liver and lung meridians. It has the efficacy of dispersing the liver and relieving depression, regulating qi and neutralizing phlegm, resolving phlegm and drying dampness, and promoting qi and relieving pain (relieving pain by regulating the qi in the human body), so it can be used as an adjunctive treatment for chest and hypochondrium distension, epigastric and abdominal platitude, coughing with excessive phlegm, nausea and vomiting, and loss of appetite, among other conditions.
Foshan is usually used together with Chai Hu, Yu Jin, Mu Xiang, Gua Piao Pi and Xiang Fu, etc. Its proper use is to be taken internally in a decoction. The adverse effects and contraindications of this drug are not clear; patients are advised to avoid cold and spicy food during the period of use.
The use of Buddha’s hand should be identified by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and should not be used recklessly to avoid adverse effects.