Dafupi is the name of a traditional Chinese medicine derived from the dried fruit peel of Areca catechu L., a plant in the Arecaceae family. This herb has the effects of regulating qi and relieving epigastric distension, as well as promoting diuresis and reducing edema. It is primarily used to treat dampness obstruction and qi stagnation, epigastric and abdominal distension and fullness, constipation, edema and bloating, beriberi-related swelling, and difficulty urinating.
Dafupi
Dafupi is the name of a traditional Chinese medicine derived from the dried fruit peel of Areca catechu L., a plant in the Arecaceae family. This herb has the effects of regulating qi and relieving epigastric distension, as well as promoting diuresis and reducing edema. It is primarily used to treat dampness obstruction and qi stagnation, epigastric and abdominal distension and fullness, constipation, edema and bloating, beriberi-related swelling, and difficulty urinating.
Chinese Name : 大腹皮
Latin Name : Arecae Pericarpium
Aliases : Areca Nut Peel, Areca Nut Shell, Poria Fuzz, Areca Nut Husk, Da Fu Fuzz
Authentic Producing Area : Guangdong, Yunnan
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Slightly warm in nature, pungent in taste; enters the Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, and Small Intestine meridians
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Promotes the flow of qi and relieves epigastric distension; promotes diuresis and reduces swelling.
Indications
Mainly used to treat dampness-obstruction and qi stagnation, epigastric and abdominal distension and fullness, constipation, edema and bloating, beriberi-induced edema, and difficulty urinating.
Usage and Dosage
Internal use: Decocted, 5–10 g.
Precautions
Use with caution in individuals with qi deficiency or a weak constitution.
Chemical Constituents
This product primarily contains alkaloids (such as arecoline and norarecoline) and tannins.
Pharmacological Actions
This product promotes gastrointestinal motility.
Relevant Discussions
1. *Compendium of Materia Medica*: “It descends rebellious qi, eliminates water retention and edema in the skin and muscles, relieves edema caused by beriberi, alleviates malaria-induced fullness and distension, and treats bloating and discomfort caused by pregnancy-related qi stagnation.”
2. *Commentary on the Classic of Materia Medica*: “Fang Longtan states: It treats all cases of cold or hot qi rising to attack the heart and abdomen; eliminates edema and swelling caused by water retention in the upper and lower parts of the body; alleviates weakness and swelling in the limbs; relieves stagnation in the large intestine causing difficulty with urination and defecation; opens blockages caused by phlegm and fluid retention in the diaphragm; and promotes smooth passage and drainage, serving as a formula to unblock the viscera.”
3. *Benjing Fengyuan*: “Areca nut is heavy in nature and eliminates tangible stagnation; abdominal skin is light and floating in nature and disperses intangible stagnant qi. Therefore, it is suitable for cases of fullness and distension, edema caused by water retention, and ascites with counterflow. However, it is contraindicated for distension due to deficiency, as it can deplete vital qi.”
Applications
Clinical Applications
1. Gastrointestinal Qi Stagnation with Epigastric and Abdominal Distension and Oppression: To treat epigastric and abdominal fullness and distension caused by food stagnation and Qi stagnation—manifesting as belching, acid regurgitation, constipation, or loose stools that do not provide relief—it may be used in combination with Hawthorn (Shanzha), Barley Malt (Maiya), and Bitter Orange (Zhishi). To treat epigastric and abdominal distension and fullness caused by dampness obstructing Qi, it may be used in combination with Agastache (Huoxiang), Dried Tangerine Peel (Chenpi), and Magnolia Bark (Houpo).
2. Edema and distension, beriberi-induced swelling, and difficulty urinating: To treat external accumulation of dampness and fluid leading to skin edema and difficulty urinating, it can be used in combination with Poria peel and Acanthopanax bark, as in the Five-Bark Decoction (from *The Complete Book of Emergency Medicine for the Ma Family*); to treat swelling and pain associated with beriberi and obstruction of both urination and defecation, it can be used in combination with white mulberry bark, Akebia stem, and Pharbitis seed.
Related Compatibility
1. Da Fu Pi Combined with Areca Nut: Da Fu Pi is light in nature and floats upward; it is pungent and warm, promoting circulation and dispersion. It specifically addresses intangible stagnation, regulates qi to relieve epigastric fullness, promotes diuresis, and reduces swelling. Areca Nut is heavy in nature; it is pungent and bitter, promoting downward movement. It effectively addresses tangible stagnation and accumulations, while eliminating food stagnation and promoting diuresis. When these two herbs are combined, their ability to regulate qi, relieve distension, promote diuresis, and reduce swelling is greatly enhanced.Indicated for ascites, a distended abdomen resembling a drum, facial and ocular edema, lower limb edema, scanty urination, as well as qi stagnation and food stagnation, epigastric and abdominal distension, loss of appetite, belching of putrid odors, and halitosis.
2. Da Fu Pi Combined with Fu Ling Pi: Da Fu Pi is pungent and slightly warm, capable of opening and dispersing lung qi to promote diuresis and reduce swelling; Fu Ling Pi is sweet, bland, and neutral, and can promote diuresis and reduce swelling.Both herbs use their outer bark; when combined, they enhance the effect of promoting diuresis and reducing edema. Suitable for cutaneous edema and swelling and fullness associated with beriberi.
3. Da Fu Pi combined with Wu Jia Pi: Da Fu Pi is pungent and slightly warm, with the ability to disperse and regulate lung qi, promote diuresis, and reduce edema; Wu Jia Pi is pungent, bitter, and warm, expelling wind-dampness, tonifying the liver and kidneys, strengthening tendons and bones, and promoting diuresis to reduce edema.When combined, these two herbs enhance their diuretic and edema-reducing effects. They are indicated for edema and difficulty urinating.
4. Da Fu Pi combined with Bai Zhu: Da Fu Pi is pungent and warm in nature, with a tendency to descend; it excels at regulating qi to relieve distension, promoting diuresis, and reducing edema; Bai Zhu strengthens the spleen and tonifies qi.When combined, these two herbs—one eliminating and one tonifying—work in tandem to strengthen the spleen, tonify qi, dry dampness, promote diuresis, and relieve distension and fullness. This combination is indicated for conditions such as epigastric distension and fullness, poor appetite, fatigue, abdominal distension, and edema caused by spleen-stomach qi deficiency, impaired digestion and transportation, and dampness obstruction with qi stagnation.
Medicinal Identification
Raw Da Fu Pi vs. Processed Da Fu Pi: Raw Da Fu Pi has a stronger effect in regulating qi and relieving fullness, and can also promote diuresis and reduce edema; it is suitable for epigastric and abdominal distension caused by dampness obstruction and qi stagnation, as well as conditions characterized by edema and scanty urine. Processed Da Fu Pi has a milder effect in regulating qi; it promotes diuresis without easily damaging the body’s vital energy and also serves to purify other medicinal ingredients; it can be used for abdominal distension due to spleen deficiency and edema resulting from deficiency patterns.
Related Medicines
Huoxiang Zhengqi Water (granules, tablets, compound preparations, oral solutions, droplet pills, capsules, soft capsules), Blood-Nourishing and Menstrual-Regulating Ointment, Nephritis Antipyretic Tablets, Nephritis Edema-Relieving Tablets, Sizheng Pills.
Related Prescriptions
Shuzao Decoction (from *Jisheng Fang*), Huoxiang Zhengqi Powder (from *Heji Jufang*), Huangqin Huashi Decoction (from *Wenbing Tiaobian*), Shipi Powder (from *Jisheng Fang*), and Fuling Daoshui Decoction (from *Yizong Jinjian*).
Medicinal Diet Therapy
Stewed Pork Stomach with Trichosanthes and Da Fu Pi:
1. Effects: Relieves chest congestion, disperses nodules, promotes diuresis, and soothes the liver. Suitable for patients with liver cirrhosis and diabetes.
2. Ingredients: 20g Trichosanthes, 25g Da Fu Pi, 1 pork stomach, 5g each of ginger, scallions, and salt, 10g garlic.
3. Preparation: Wash the Da Fu Pi and Trichosanthes thoroughly.Wash the pork tripe, blanch it thoroughly in boiling water, then remove and set aside. Slice the ginger, cut the scallions into sections, and peel and slice the garlic. Place the pork tripe in a stew pot, put the Da Fu Pi and Trichosanthes fruit inside the tripe, add 1,500 milliliters of water, and add the salt, ginger, and scallions. Bring the stew pot to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 1 hour until done.
4. Usage: Once daily; consume 50 grams of pork stomach each time and drink the soup as desired.
Notes
Patients requiring treatment with traditional Chinese medicine should first consult a licensed TCM hospital, where a TCM practitioner will conduct a professional pattern differentiation and issue a prescription.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
Unripe fruits are harvested from winter through the following spring; they are boiled, dried, split lengthwise into two halves, and the fruit peel is removed—commonly known as “Da Fu Pi.” Ripe fruits are harvested from late spring through early autumn; they are boiled, dried, and the fruit peel is removed, then fluffed and sun-dried—commonly known as “Da Fu Mao.”
Processing Methods
1. Da Fu Pi: Take the raw material, remove impurities, rinse thoroughly with running water, crush to loosen, remove the hard outer skin, cut into sections, and dry.
2. Wine-Processed Da Fu Pi: Mix the cleaned Da Fu Pi with yellow wine and an appropriate amount of water until evenly coated, then sun-dry. Use 30 kg of wine for every 100 kg of Da Fu Pi.
3. Ginger-Infused Da Fu Pi: First, pound fresh ginger into a paste, add an appropriate amount of water, and press to extract the juice. Add an appropriate amount of water to the ginger residue and repeat the pressing process once. Combine the juices, add the cleaned Da Fu Pi, and mix thoroughly. Let it sit until the ginger juice is fully absorbed. Place the mixture in a pot and heat over low heat, stir-frying until dry. Remove from heat and allow to cool. For every 100 kg of cleaned Da Fu Pi, use 10 kg of fresh ginger or 3 kg of dried ginger.
Storage Methods
Store in a dry container; for alcohol-processed or ginger-processed large abdominal skin, seal tightly and place in a dry, well-ventilated area.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
Slightly elliptical or oblong-ovate, gourd-shaped, 4–7 cm long, 2–3.5 cm wide, and 0.2–0.5 cm thick.The outer pericarp is dark brown to nearly black, with irregular longitudinal wrinkles and raised transverse ridges; the apex bears a scar from the style, and the base has a fruit stalk and remnants of sepals. The inner pericarp is concave, brown or dark brown, smooth, and hard-shelled. It is light in weight and hard in texture; when torn lengthwise, the fibers of the middle pericarp are visible. It has a faint odor and a slightly astringent taste.
Properties of Processed Slices
1. Da Fu Pi: Same as the characteristics of the medicinal material.
2. Wine-treated Da Fu Pi: Resembles Da Fu Pi in appearance, with a slight odor of wine.
3. Ginger-treated Da Fu Pi: Resembles Da Fu Pi in appearance, with a slight pungent odor of ginger.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
Areca catechu, a plant of the genus Areca in the family Arecaceae.
Morphological Characteristics
A tree reaching 10–18 m in height; unbranched, forming distinct ring patterns after leaf fall. Pinnate compound leaves cluster at the stem apex, 1.3–2 m long, smooth, with a triangular-triangular rachis;leaflets are lanceolate-linear or linear, 30–70 cm long, 2.5–6 cm wide, narrower at the base, with the terminal leaflets fused and irregularly lobed. The inflorescence arises from the base of the lowest leaf, bearing a spathe-like bract that is long obovate, up to 40 cm long, and smooth; the inflorescence is highly branched;Flowers are unisexual and monoecious; male flowers are small, numerous, sessile, closely adnate to the upper part of the branches, usually solitary, rarely opposite; sepals 3, thick and minute; petals 3, ovate-oblong, 5–6 mm long; stamens 6, filaments short and slender; rudimentary pistils 3, filiform;Female flowers are larger but fewer in number, sessile, and attached to the inflorescence axis or the base of branches; sepals are 3, oblong-ovate, 12–15 mm long. The nut is ovoid or oblong, 5–6 cm long, with persistent sepals and petals, turning red when ripe. It flowers twice a year, with flowering periods from March to August; winter flowers do not set fruit. The fruiting period is from December to June of the following year.
Distribution Area
It is distributed in Guangxi, Yunnan, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, and other regions.