Boat-Fruited Sterculia Seed Classic Formulas

Primary Actions

Clears Lung Heat and gently disseminates Lung Qi - classically used for sore throat, hoarseness, sudden voice loss, and cough when dry or constrained heat has scorched the throat and upper airway.
Benefits the throat while moistening dryness - especially valued for singers, speakers, and post-febrile patients whose voice becomes rough, dry, or painful from Lung Heat or depleted throat fluids.
Moistens the Intestines and unblocks the bowels - used for mild constipation with dry stool, headache, red eyes, or heat lodged in the Intestines when a lubricating seed is preferred over harsher purgatives.
Encourages the full expression of rashes - occasionally applied as an external wash when venting the surface and relieving residual heat are both desired.

Qing Yan Li Ge Tang (清咽利膈汤) - classical throat-cooling formula traditions add Pang Da Hai when sore throat, hoarseness, and phlegm-heat congestion need stronger throat-opening and voice-restoring support.
Throat-soothing infusion traditions often combine Pang Da Hai with Jie Geng and Xuan Shen for hoarseness, painful dryness, and voice loss after heat or excessive speaking, reflecting its long practical role even when not the chief herb of a major canonical decoction.

Sacred Lotus and Me & Qi agree that Pang Da Hai is sweet and cold, enters the Lung and Large Intestine, and is used chiefly for hoarseness, sore throat, dry cough, and mild heat constipation.
Modern pharmacognosy sources note that older literature often records the drug under Sterculia lychnophora Hance, while more recent botanical usage also recognizes Scaphium affine as the accepted species name or synonym in trade references.
Traditional practice commonly uses only a few seeds steeped in hot water, which helps explain why Pang Da Hai has a strong practical reputation for throat complaints despite a lighter standalone formula history than major classical cough herbs.