桃核仁 Peach Kernel

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 2

1. 性平一云溫, 味苦甘, 無毒. 主瘀血血閉.

   Its nature is neutral, though one account calls it warm; its taste is bitter and sweet, and it is non-toxic. It governs eohyeol (瘀血, static blood) and hyeolpye (血閉, blocked menses).

   HomiclubDohaegin is the kernel taken from inside the hard peach stone. It looks like an almond, but it contains amygdalin and is not eaten raw.

2. 破癥瘕, 通月水, 止心痛, 殺三蟲.

   It breaks up jingga (癥瘕, abdominal masses), frees the monthly flow, stops heart pain, and kills the samchung (三蟲, three worms).

3. 處處有之, 七月採核, 破之取仁, 陰乾. 《本草》

   It is found everywhere. In the seventh month the pits are gathered, cracked open to take out the kernel, and dried in the shade. 《Boncho (本草)》

   HomiclubThe seventh lunar month falls around August. That is when peaches ripen and soften, so the stones left after the flesh is eaten are washed, dried, and then cracked.

4. 破滯血生新血, 逐瘀活血, 有功. 《醫鑑》

   It has merit in breaking stagnant blood and engendering new blood, in driving out stasis and quickening the blood. 《Uigam (醫鑑)》

5. 肝者血之海, 血受邪則肝氣燥. 經曰, 肝苦急, 急食甘以緩之.

   The gan (肝, liver) is the sea of blood; when the blood receives evil qi, the qi of the liver turns dry. The Classic says: when the liver suffers from urgency, urgently give sweetness to relax it.

6. 桃仁味苦甘辛, 散血, 緩肝也. 《綱目》

   Doin (桃仁, peach kernel) is bitter, sweet, and pungent in taste; it disperses blood and relaxes the liver. 《Gangmok (綱目)》

7. 入手足厥陰經, 湯浸, 去雙仁及皮尖, 硏如泥用. 《湯液》

   It enters the hand and foot gwoleum channels. Soak it in hot water, remove double kernels along with the skin and the tip, and grind it to a paste for use. 《Tangaek (湯液)》

   HomiclubSsangin (雙仁) means a stone holding two kernels instead of one. Old texts repeatedly say to sort these out and discard them, and the same instruction appears again in the later entry on apricot kernel.