The Qi-Activating and Blood-Circulating Murraya paniculata

Murraya paniculata or Seven Fragance, a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal herb, is renowned for its unique aroma and rich therapeutic effects. It is a herbaceous plant that thrives in humid regions of southern China, particularly in the South China area. The name "Seven Fragrance" originates from its ability to disperse its fragrance up to seven miles away, describing its strong and far-reaching aroma.

Origin:

[Botanical Name]: Moon Orange

[English Name]: Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack.

[Family]: Rutaceae

[Other Names]: Man Shan Xiang, Seven Fragrance, Thousand Eyes, Water Evergreen, Thousand Leaves, Thousand Eyes Injury, Stinking Thousand Eyes.

Distribution and Morphology:

[Distribution]: Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Taiwan. [Morphology]: An evergreen shrub or small tree, growing to a height of 3 to 8 cm. The bark is pale gray. Its odd-pinnate compound leaves are alternate, papery, or thickly papery. The leaflets are 3 to 9 in number, ovate or inverted ovate, with slightly concave tips and broad wedge-shaped or nearly round bases. The leaf margins are entire. The upper leaf surface is shiny dark green, while the lower surface is bluish-green with dense reticulate veins and translucent glandular dots that turn dark brown when dried. The inflorescence is a 3 to several-flowered cyme, terminal, or axillary. The flowers are large, reaching up to 4 cm in diameter, and highly fragrant. The flower pedicels are slender. It has 5 triangular sepals and 5 white petals, which are lanceolate or narrowly elliptic and have transparent glandular dots. The stamens are 8 to 10, alternating in length. The ovary is superior, with 2 chambers, each containing 2 ovules, and the style is enlarged, often wider than the ovary. The fruit is red, spherical, or ovate with a sharp apex. It contains 1 to 2 seeds with cottony hairs on the seed coat. It flowers from April to June and bears fruit from September to November.

Functions and Indications:

The flowers and fruits of Seven Fragrance have the functions of promoting Qi circulation, activating blood, dispelling stasis, alleviating pain, detoxifying, and reducing swelling. It is used to treat gastric prolapse pain, rheumatic arthralgia, bruises, paralysis caused by ulcers, snake and insect bites, and is also employed for anesthesia and pain relief.

[Source]: Illustrated Handbook of Commonly Used Medicinal Plants in Taiwan, Volume III.