Fig is a name used in traditional Chinese medicine. It refers to the fruit of Ficus carica L., a plant belonging to the genus Ficus in the Moraceae family. It has the effects of clearing heat and promoting fluid production, strengthening the spleen and stimulating appetite, and detoxifying and reducing swelling. It is primarily used to treat sore throat, dry cough with hoarseness, low milk production, constipation due to intestinal heat, loss of appetite, indigestion, diarrhea, dysentery, abscesses, and tinea.
Fig
Fig is a name used in traditional Chinese medicine. It refers to the fruit of Ficus carica L., a plant belonging to the genus Ficus in the Moraceae family. It has the effects of clearing heat and promoting fluid production, strengthening the spleen and stimulating appetite, and detoxifying and reducing swelling. It is primarily used to treat sore throat, dry cough with hoarseness, low milk production, constipation due to intestinal heat, loss of appetite, indigestion, diarrhea, dysentery, abscesses, and tinea.
Chinese Name : 无花果
Aliases : Achen, Ayi, Dizhen, Sunrise Fruit, Utpala, Honey Fruit, Wenxian Fruit, Milk Juice Fruit, Pinxian Fruit, Zhengtao, Tree Sweet Potato
Authentic Producing Area : Cultivated throughout China
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Sweet in taste, cool in nature. Enters the Lung, Stomach, and Large Intestine meridians
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Clears heat and promotes fluid production; strengthens the spleen and stimulates appetite; detoxifies and reduces swelling.
Indications
Sore throat, dry cough with hoarseness, low milk production, intestinal heat with constipation, loss of appetite, indigestion, diarrhea, dysentery, abscesses, and tinea.
Usage and Dosage
1. Internal use: Decoct 9–15 g; higher doses of up to 30–60 g may be used; or consume 1–2 fresh fruits raw. 2. External use: Use an appropriate amount; decoct in water for washing; grind into a powder and apply as a poultice or blow into the throat.
Precautions
Use with caution in patients with spleen and stomach deficiency-cold.
Chemical Constituents
Figs contain organic acids, including a large amount of citric acid, as well as small amounts of fumaric acid, succinic acid, alanine, quinic acid, and shikimic acid; they also contain B vitamins, fig protease, carotene, lutein, and other carotenoid compounds such as violaxanthin;They also contain aspartic acid, glycine, glutamic acid, leucine, methionine, alanine, and asparagine; as well as polysaccharides, proteins, carbohydrates, and trace elements such as calcium and iron.
Pharmacological Actions
Figs have antitumor, cell-mediated immune-boosting, analgesic, mild laxative, and blood pressure-lowering effects.
Relevant Discussions
1. *Herbal Medicine of Southern Yunnan*: “Stimulates the appetite and strengthens the spleen; stops diarrhea and dysentery; also treats sore throat, dry cough with hoarseness, low milk production, intestinal heat-induced constipation, loss of appetite, indigestion, diarrhea, dysentery, abscesses, and measles.”
2. *Essentials of the Properties of Raw Herbs*: “Used to wash hemorrhoids. The seeds, when simmered with meat, neutralize a hundred poisons. The stigmas promote lactation.”
Applications
Clinical Applications
1. For sore throat: 7 figs and 15 g of honeysuckle. Decoct in water and drink. (*Manual of Shandong Chinese Herbal Medicine*)
2. For hoarseness due to lung heat: 15 g of dried figs. Decoct in water, mix with rock sugar, and drink. (*Fujian Chinese Herbal Medicine*)
3. For dry cough and chronic cough: 9 g of figs, 15 g of raisins, and 6 g of licorice. Decoct in water and drink. (*Manual of Xinjiang Chinese Herbal Medicine*)
4. For insufficient lactation: ① 60 g of figs, 60 g of tree sweet potato root, 120–180 g of daylily root, and 60 g of milk vine. Stew with a pig’s front hoof and consume.② 120 g of figs, 120 g of milk ginseng, and 30 g of cuttlefish bone. Stew with pork belly and consume. (Chongqing Herbal Medicine)
5. For severe constipation: Chew and eat an appropriate amount of fresh figs; or crush dried figs, decoct them in water, add an appropriate amount of raw honey, and drink warm on an empty stomach. (Anhui Chinese Herbal Medicine)
6. For indigestion-related diarrhea: 9g each of stir-fried figs, stir-fried hawthorn, and stir-fried chicken gizzard lining; 4.5g of Magnolia bark. Decoct and drink. (*Anhui Chinese Herbal Medicine*)
7. For persistent diarrhea: 5–7 figs. Decoct in water and drink. (*Hunan Materia Medica*)
Medicinal Diet Therapy
Fig, Lily, and Corn Soup
1. Benefits: Lily has the effects of moistening the lungs, relieving coughs, cooling the body, and reducing fever, while the vitamins in figs can accelerate the body’s metabolism. This soup is most suitable for young people with irregular lifestyles.
2. Ingredients: 1 ear of corn, 10 g dried lily bulbs, 20 g dried figs, 1 chicken thigh (skin removed), 5 g salt.
3. Preparation: Cut the corn into sections; wash the dried lily bulbs, dried figs, and chicken thigh. Place all ingredients in a pot, add water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 2–3 hours. Add salt just before serving.
4. Usage: Drink the soup and eat the fruit as an accompaniment to meals. Replacing the chicken thigh with fresh fish reduces the soup’s oil content and enhances its vision-improving benefits.
Notes
Patients requiring treatment with traditional Chinese medicine should first consult a licensed TCM hospital, where a TCM practitioner will conduct a professional diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate herbal formula.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
From July to October, when the fruits are green, harvest them in batches; alternatively, collect unripe fruits that have fallen to the ground. Blanch the fresh fruits in boiling water, then sun-dry or oven-dry them.
Processing Methods
Take the raw herbal material, remove impurities, and crush it before use.
Storage Methods
Store in a dry container in a well-ventilated, dry place.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
The dried inflorescence receptacle is inverted conical or subglobose, approximately 2 cm long and 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter; the surface ranges from pale yellowish-brown to dark brown or bluish-black, with undulating longitudinal ridges; the apex is slightly truncate, with a circular protrusion in the center; the base tapers gradually and bears a fruit stalk and remnants of bracts.The texture is hard; the cross-section is yellowish-white, with numerous tiny achenes attached to the inner wall; sometimes withered male flowers are still visible on the upper part of the wall. The achenes are ovate or trigonous-ovate, 1–2 mm long, pale yellow, and covered externally by the persistent calyx. The odor is faint; the taste is sweet and slightly sour. The best quality specimens are dry, bluish-black or dark brown, and free of mold or insect damage.
Properties of Processed Slices
This product consists of thick, longitudinally cut slices that are conical or nearly circular in shape. The surface is yellowish-white, and the inner wall bears numerous withered flowers, bracts, and achenes. The periphery is pale yellowish-brown or dark brown, with curved longitudinal ridges. It has a faint odor and a slightly sweet taste.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
Fig (Ficus), a plant of the Moraceae family.
Morphological Characteristics
A deciduous shrub or small tree, reaching a height of 3–10 meters. The entire plant contains latex; it is highly branched, with stout twigs that are brown in color and covered with sparse, short hairs. Leaves are alternate; petioles are 2–5 cm long and stout; stipules are ovate-lanceolate, approximately 1 cm long, and red;leaf blades are thick and membranous, broadly ovate or ovate-orbicular, 10–24 cm long and 8–22 cm wide, 3–5-lobed, with ovate lobes bearing irregular, blunt teeth along the margins; the upper surface is dark green and rough, while the lower surface is densely covered with minute lenticels and yellowish-brown short soft hairs; the base is shallowly cordate, with 3–5 basal veins and 5–7 pairs of lateral veins.The species is dioecious, with cryptogamous inflorescences; the inflorescence receptacle is solitary and borne in the leaf axil. Male flowers and gall flowers are borne within the same receptacle; male flowers are located at the mouth of the inner wall, with 2 stamens and 3–4 perianth segments; gall flowers have a short, lateral style. Female flowers are borne in a separate receptacle, with 3–4 perianth segments, a lateral style, and a 2-lobed stigma.The fig (inflorescence receptacle) is pear-shaped, 3–5 cm long when mature, purplish-red or yellowish-green in color, fleshy, with a depressed apex and three bracts at the base. Flowering and fruiting occur from August to November.
Distribution Area
It is cultivated throughout China.
Growth Habits
It prefers a warm and humid climate, tolerates poor soil, is drought-tolerant, but is not cold-hardy or tolerant of waterlogging. It is best cultivated in sunny locations with deep, loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam or clay loam soil.
Propagation Methods
Propagation is by cuttings, division, or layering, with cuttings being the primary method.
Cultivation Techniques
1. Propagation by Cuttings: In mid- to late March, select 1- to 3-year-old, ungerminated, healthy shoots with short internodes and a stem diameter of 1–1.5 cm from high-quality mother plants. Cut them into 30–50 cm long cuttings. Dig a trench with a row spacing of 50 cm, insert the cuttings diagonally so that two-thirds are buried in the soil, leaving the remaining portion exposed. Fill the trench with soil, firm it down, and water thoroughly to keep the soil moist.For summer cuttings, use semi-woody green shoots. Roots will form in about one month after planting. The cuttings can be transplanted after one year of cultivation. Alternatively, store the cuttings in moist sand for one month to allow callus formation before planting.
2. Division Propagation: Perform division and planting in February–March. For permanent planting, dig holes with a spacing of (3–4) m × (3–4) m. Prune before planting to remove dense or dead branches; it is best to plant before sap flow begins or before the leaves unfurl.
3. Field Management: After the plants have taken root, weed and loosen the soil between rows. Apply human urine or ammonium sulfate once each in June and July. After planting, train the tree to form a single-layer canopy or a natural open-center shape with multiple main branches. Generally, prune the trunk to a height of 50 cm, retaining 5–7 main branches, and use side branches as needed to fill in gaps.Once the tree’s shape is established, prune annually to remove crowded, diseased, insect-infested, and dead branches. Focus on light thinning pruning. For orchards primarily producing fall fruit, leave 2–3 buds on fruiting branches; for those primarily producing summer fruit, avoid shortening the branches.
Pest and Disease Control
Diseases include anthracnose, which can be treated by spraying with a 1:1:200 Bordeaux mixture. Pests include the mulberry longhorn beetle.