Kumquat - which is/are used medicinally? Are they all equally effective?

December 21, 2007

Hi Eric & All,

Eric wrote:

> Which jin ju is used in medicine, and what is it used for? I love

> those little fruits. Jin ju (mostly pronounced as " jin ji " in Taiwan,

> where they are a popular fruit for making into a delicious

> lemonade-like drink) are citrus fruits. However, the name actually is

> used to refer to two totally different fruits. The name jin ju

> sometimes refers to kumquats, and at other times it is used to refer to

> a very small, smooth, lemon-like fruit. The latter is the one popular

> in Taiwan, but it is hard to find in the US. Kumquats, on the other

> hand, are easy to find in the US, you can find them at Whole Foods

> market, and they can be easily dried. However, I don't know which one

> is used medicinally. In fact, I'm not even altogether sure that they

> aren't both technically kumquats. I have no idea what the common one in

> Taiwan is called in English, and the two are poorly differentiated in

> Chinese. I see multiple listings for Fortunella species in the CM

> database I have, but I don't know which one is official and I'm not

> near a good text at the moment to figure it out.

There are many different varieties of Kumquat, many including the term Jinju

in their names. See: http://tinyurl.com/2nmn8f [summary below):

> Zhongyao Dacidian says that jinju: Rectifies qi & resolves depression;

> transforms phlegm and dispels the effect of alcohol. Tx. binding

> depression with oppression in the chest; alcohol damage with thirst;

> food stagnation with torpid stomach. decoct or brew as tea. Eric Brand

To which variety does the Zhongyao Dacidian refer?

Jindou

Fortunella / Sclerostylis venosa

??

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jindou

Fortunella hindsii / chintou

Golden bean kumquat

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jingan (Fuzhou) (); Yueyueju ; Changshougan

Fortunella obovata

Changshou kumquat; Jiangsu kumquat

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jinju (Bawang) ()

Fortunella bawangica

??

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jinju (Changye) (); Changye Jingan ; Malayajingan

Fortunella / Atalantia / Citrus polyandra; Fortunella / Citrus swinglei

Long-leaved kumquat; Swingle's kumquat; Malayan kumquat

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jinju (Jianye) ()

Fortunella sagittifolia

Arrow-leaved kumquat; a kumquat or a synonym of Citrus hystrix ?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jinju (Shan); Shanju (medicinal name); Shanjingan; Shanjie

Fortunella / Atalantia / Sclerostylis hindsii

Hong Kong kumquat; Formosan kumquat; Taiwanese kumquat; Pea-sized

kumquat; Hong Kong wild kumquat

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jinju (medicinal name); Naigan

Fortunella margarita / japonica; Citrus margarita

Oval kumquat; Nagami kumquat; Pearl lemon; Spicy-peeled kumquat; Bullet

kumquat

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jinju ; Jingan ; Yuanjingan (medicinal name); Shanju

Fortunella japonica / Citrus japonica

Round kumquat; Marumi kumquat; Golden orange; Sweet-peeled kumquat

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jinju (Fr); Jinjuhe (S); Jinju (Houye) (); Juhe (medicinal

name); Chang'an Jingan ; Jindan; Jingan; Jindanju; Ningbojingan

Fortunella crassifolia / japonica / margarita / variegata

Meiwa kumquat; Bullet kumquat; Sweet kumquat; Large round kumquat;

Variegated kumquat

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Shilingjiu

Fortunella erythrocarpa; Citrus erythrocarpa; Glycosmis erythrocarpa /

citrifolia; Limonia citrifolia

Red tangerine

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Best regards,

December 25, 2007

Jin Ju: it is the small oval shape, we call it a kumquat in English.

Empirical experience( in Taiwan) : pickled jin ju with salt; mix it (salty sour

jin ju) with hot water to treat a sore throat.

over all Jin Ju has a similar function as zhi shi, zhi ke, or ju hong.....

A friend of mine has a jin ju manufacture in Yi Lan, Taiwan..It is a fruit or

snake for majority Chinese, and the tree of jin ju is a lucky sign in Chinese

New year.

my two cents

Christine

Christine W Chang, DAOM, LAc.,

" " <

Friday, December 21, 2007 8:52:28 AM

Kumquat - which is/are used medicinally? Are they all equally

effective?