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TCM Treasures - Cannabis seeds
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SIMPLIFIED Chinese: 火麻仁 Pinyin: huǒ má rén
Some plants are considered toxic in traditional Chinese medicine, but they can be beneficial when they are properly used. Cannabis is one of them.
Medicinal benefits of hemp were discovered around 2700 BC by Shen Nong, a legendary pharmacologist who tested more than 100 herbs on himself to determine their properties.
Hua Tuo, who lived around AD 145-208, is said to be the first person to use cannabis as an anesthetic. Records indicate he performed successful abdominal surgeries to remove tumors, probably using cannabis for the pain. He used what he called ma fei san, literally numb boiling powder.
His prescription was lost after he was murdered and physicians tried to reproduce his legendary anesthetic based on its function. Most used hemp.
Today, da ma is no longer used as an anesthetic, but “huo ma ren”, fried mature cannabis seeds (without psychoactive THC), are used in quite a few TCM laxatives.
Cannabis seeds are considered “neutral” in energy and benefit the digestive system, adding moisture and nourishing organs.
Apart from being used in patient laxative, cannabis seeds are also made into various health-benefiting products like hemp seed cooking oil and cannabis protein powder that helps aid digestion and reduce flood fat and cholesterol.
Prescriptions & Usage:
Cannabis seeds and perilla seeds congee
Grind 15g cannabis seeds and 10g perilla seeds into powder.
Make congee with the powder and rice. Divide the congee into two portions. Eat separately.
Benefits: Helps move bowels. It is especially recommended to those suffering constipation due to weakness, such as postpartum women and sick elderly.
Cannabis seed tea
Pan-fry 15g cannabis seeds and grind them into powder. Cook decoction with the powder. Add sugar to sweeten. Drink as tea.
Benefits: helps moister organs and move bowels.
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