皂莢 Juyeomnamu (주엽나무)

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 3

1. 性溫, 味辛醎, 有小毒. 通關節, 除頭風, 利九竅, 消痰涎, 止咳嗽, 療脹滿, 破堅癥, 能墮胎.

   Its nature is warm and its taste pungent and salty, and it is slightly toxic. It frees the joints, dispels dupung (頭風, head wind), opens the nine orifices, dissolves phlegm and drool, stops coughing, treats distension and fullness, breaks hardened masses, and can bring down a fetus.

   HomiclubJohyeop is the pod of the Korean honey locust, a tall legume tree that puts out stout thorns between its branches and hangs twisted, sickle-curved pods.

2. 治中風口噤, 殺勞蟲.

   It treats a mouth clenched shut from wind stroke and kills the nochung (勞蟲, consumption worm).

3. 在處有之, 樹高枝間生大刺. 九月十月採莢, 陰乾.

   It grows everywhere; the tree is tall and puts out large thorns between its branches. Gather the pods in the ninth and tenth months and dry them in the shade.

4. 有長皂莢ㆍ猪牙皂莢二種. 今醫家作疏風氣丸散, 多用長皂莢.

   There are two kinds, the long johyeop and jeoa johyeop. Physicians today, when making pills and powders that disperse wind qi, mostly use the long johyeop.

5. 治齒及取積藥, 多用猪牙皂莢. 大抵性味不相遠.

   For medicines that treat the teeth and remove accumulations, jeoa johyeop is mostly used. On the whole their natures and tastes are not far apart.

   HomiclubJeoa johyeop is a short, curved pod whose seeds failed to fill out, named for its resemblance to a pig's tusk. A single tree bears both full pods and these barren ones.

6. 不蛀而肥者佳, 可爲沐湯, 去垢甚妙. 《本草》

   Those not bored by insects and plump are good, and they can be made into a hair-washing water, being wonderfully apt at taking away grime. 《Boncho (本草)》

   HomiclubThe pods lather in water because of the saponins they contain. Before soap became common, this water served for washing hair and laundry.

7. 引入厥陰經藥也. 去皮及子, 酥灸或蜜灸用. 《入門》

   It is a medicine that leads into the gworeum channel. Remove the skin and the seeds, and roast it coated with clarified butter or with honey for use. 《Immun (入門)》

8. 鐵碪以鍜金銀, 雖千百年不壞, 以槌皂莢則卽碎. 一名皂角. 《丹心》

   An iron anvil beaten upon for gold and silver will not fail even in a thousand years, yet pound johyeop on it and it soon crumbles. Another name for it is jogak. 《Dansim (丹心)》