Gua Lou Peel & Seed (Trichosanthes kirilowii) — Sulfur-Free Dried Herb, 500g

Gua Lou (瓜蒌), botanically Trichosanthes kirilowii, is the dried fruit, peel, and seed of a traditional food herb highly revered in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Also known as Trichosanthes Fruit or Chinese Cucumber, Gua Lou has been prized for centuries as a phlegm-transforming, chest-opening, and qi-smoothing herb, traditionally used to relieve chest tightness, cough with sticky phlegm, and dry throat. Its nature is sweet, slightly bitter, and cold, making it a cooling yet gentle herb for clearing heat, transforming phlegm, and moistening dryness in the Lung and Stomach channels.

Key Selling Points

• Sulfur-free, naturally dried Gua Lou peel and seed
• Traditional phlegm-transforming food herb
• Trichosanthes kirilowii from Shandong origin
• Sliced peel and whole seeds, 500g pack
• New-crop quality, cool and dry storage

Quality & Sensory

Each batch is carefully sliced and dried to preserve the peel's pale golden-brown color and the seeds' smooth, glossy tan appearance. The peel has a light, fibrous texture with a mild herbal aroma, while the seeds are plump and slightly oily. When decocted, Gua Lou yields a gentle, slightly sweet and earthy infusion with a subtle bitterness, releasing a soothing warmth that blends well with other herbs.

Technical Specifications

Usage Scenarios

• Herbal decoction for chest and lung support
• Soup and congee ingredient
• Tea blend with other cooling herbs
• Seasonal respiratory wellness
• Traditional herbal formula component

Traditional Uses

In folk herbal practice, Gua Lou is decocted into soups, teas, and lung-supporting formulas to help transform phlegm, open the chest, and soothe the throat. It is a common ingredient in autumn and winter decoctions, where it pairs with ingredients like fritillary bulb, platycodon, and apricot seed. As a daily tea, it is brewed alone or blended with chrysanthemum and honeysuckle for a light, cooling infusion.

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