Witnessed by: TCM · Ayurveda · Unani
Fox Nut (Euryale ferox), of the Nymphaeaceae family. Aquatic annual with large, quilted, thorn-spined floating leaves; native range: Ponds and still waters of eastern Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Globally recognized as makhanna / paniyaphala in Sanskrit, makhana in Hindi, qian shi (芡实) in Chinese, makhana in Arabic, and gorgon nut, prickly water-lily seed, fox-nut lily in English. The part used is ripe seed (kernel). Hard, round, grey-brown seeds within a prickly berry; the kernel is starchy, sweet and faintly astringent, puffing on roasting to a light, crisp, near-tasteless white pop.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
FOX NUT
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Fox Nut
- Scientific name
- Euryale ferox Salisb.
- Family
- Nymphaeaceae
Form
- Part used
- ripe seed (kernel)
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- sweet · astringent
- Ayurveda
- sweet (madhura)
- Unani
- sweet · astringent
Temperature
- TCM
- neutral
- Ayurveda
- cooling (shita)
- Unani
- cold (1st degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Spleen · Kidney
- Unani
- heart · kidneys · stomach
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- tonifies the Spleen and stops diarrhoea, benefits the Kidney and astringes essence (jing), and stops leucorrhoea and spermatorrhoea
- Ayurveda
- vrishya (aphrodisiac), balya (strengthening), brimhana (nourishing), grahi (astringent to the bowel), garbhasthapana (supportive in pregnancy)
- Unani
- muqawwi-e-qalb (cardiac tonic), muqawwi-e-bah (aphrodisiac), qabid (astringent), mughalliz-e-mani (thickens semen)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- hard, dry stool and constipation, difficult or scanty urination, and abdominal fullness or food stagnation, where its astringent, binding nature aggravates
- Toxicity
- none of note — a food-grade seed well tolerated even in quantity; heavy and hard to digest in the weak-fired if eaten to excess
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