Smoked Plum … Classic Formulas
Wu Mei · Fructus Mume
Primary Actions
- Astringes the Lung and stops chronic cough, especially when prolonged leakage and irritation need containment rather than stronger dispersing herbs.
- Astringes the intestines and relieves chronic diarrhea or dysenteric disorders marked by persistent loss.
- Generates fluids and alleviates thirst when dryness, chronic illness, or summer heat has injured body fluids.
- Calms roundworms and relieves parasite-related abdominal pain in the classic `Wu Mei Wan` treatment logic.
Classic Formulas
- Wu Mei Wan ... the defining classical formula for roundworm disorder and mixed cold-heat intestinal presentations.
- Sour plum drink and fluid-generating traditions ... the familiar thirst-relieving lane of the herb.
- Astringent chronic-cough or chronic-diarrhea pairings with other leakage-stopping herbs ... the usual containment strategy.
Classical Text References
- Traditional herbology describes Wu Mei as sour, astringent, and neutral, entering the Liver, Spleen, Lung, and Large Intestine.
- Its four classical hallmark actions are stopping cough, stopping diarrhea, generating fluids, and calming roundworms.
- Because it is strongly restraining, older texts caution against using it too early in external or excess conditions.