Luo Han Kuo

[prana]

You often find these in many Asian countries. They are boiled with some mushrooms, and some longan fruits, and served in a bowl.

The soup is kinda minty and refreshing, I am not sure of the word, like a minty feeling. This property is used for helping coughs etc.

Anyone know the benefits of this fruit and drink ? What is it used to heal ? Is it classed as a heaty or a cooling effect ?

[Dale Dugas]

tradiationally Luo Han Gou fruit is used for the lungs for certain disorders. I have been told you can use it with smokers to help them strengthen the lungs.

As with all herbs you want to talk to someone who is trained and registered/certified in their use.

In Boston,

Dale Dugas

[Crimson Phoenix]

A special friend of mine would put me on a mandatory Luo Han Kuo treatment when I had sore throat or a cold...and I have to say that it's very soothing, and seem to work great on common infections or inflammation of the respiratory tract and lungs and Dale mentionned.
I like to drink some in the evening, it calms me down and seem to put me in a very serene state.
She said it was good for many different things (I don't remember all of them), but I do not know about it's precise usage in TCM, it seems more to me a basal, regular thing you can drink to keep in shape and soothe common respiratory problems than a one-time acute treatment for particular affections.
But since I'm not very knowledgeable in TCM, I cannot tell you more and maybe someone knows about particular cases in which Luo Han Kuo specifically works great as an acute treatment...

[TaoBoy]

I have some Luo Han Guo in a powdered form. It looks a lot like a stock cube. Anyhow, I just add hot water and viola a great healing tea. It's good for asthma and other respiratory ills.