Use of Long Yan Rou (longans) in TCM
Please note that you should never self-prescribe TCM ingredients. A TCM ingredient is almost never eaten on its own but as part of a formula containing several ingredients that act together. Please consult a professional TCM practitioner, they will be best able to guide you.
Preparation: Remove shell and seed, dry them until they aren't sticky anymore.
Dosage: 6 - 15 grams
Main actions according to TCM*: Nourishes the Blood. Calms the spirit. Relieves fatigue, especially mental fatigue.
Primary conditions or symptoms for which Long Yan Rou may be prescribed by TCM doctors*: Palpitations Insomnia Fatigue Anemia Restlessness
Contraindications*: Not for conditions of Dampness and Heat.
Common TCM formulas in which Long Yan Rou is used*
Gui Pi Tang
Source date: 1529 AD
Number of ingredients: 12 herbs
Formula key actions: Tonifies and nourish Qi and Blood. Tonifies Heart and Spleen.
Conditions targeted*: Nervous exhaustionMyasthenia gravis and others
Long Yan Rou is a deputy ingredient in Gui Pi Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
In Gui Pi Tang, Long Yan Rou "roots" and calms the Mind (Shen) by tonifying the Blood.
Da Fang Feng Tang
Source date: 1107 AD
Number of ingredients: 14 herbs
Formula key actions: Expel Wind Damp. Relieve pain. Tonify the Liver and the Kidneys. Tonify the Blood and Qi.
Conditions targeted*: ArthralgiaCommon cold and others
Long Yan Rou is an assistant ingredient in Da Fang Feng Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Da Fang Feng Tang, Long Yan Rou tonifies Qi and Blood.
Key TCM concepts behind Long Yan Rou's properties
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Long Yan Rou belongs to the 'Tonic herbs for Blood Deficiency' category. Tonic herbs are used for patterns of Deficiency, when one lacks one of the 'Four Treasures' (Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang). Blood tonics tend to be bitter-sweet with either a Warm or neutral nature. Because the Liver stores Blood, all Blood tonics enter that Organ's Channel.
As suggested by its category Long Yan Rou is Warm in nature. This means that Long Yan Rou tends to help people who have too much 'Cold' in their body, although with less effect than a plant that would be Hot in nature. Balance between Yin and Yang is a key health concept in TCM. Those who have too much Cold in their body are said to either have a Yin Excess (because Yin is Cold in nature) or a Yang Deficiency (Yang is Hot in Nature). Depending on your condition Long Yan Rou can help restore a harmonious balance between Yin and Yang.
Long Yan Rou also tastes Sweet. The so-called 'Five Phases' theory in Chinese Medicine states that the taste of TCM ingredients is a key determinant of their action in the body. Sweet ingredients like Long Yan Rou tends to slow down acute reactions and detoxify the body. They also have a tonic effect because they replenish Qi and Blood.
The tastes of ingredients in TCM also determine what Organs and Meridians they target. As such Long Yan Rou is thought to target the Heart and the Spleen. In addition to regulating Blood flow, in TCM the Heart is believed to be the store of the 'Mind' which basically refers to someone's vitality. The Spleen on the other hand assists with digestion, Blood coagulation and Fluids metabolism in the body.
Research on Long Yan Rou
Longan fruit pericarp has strong antioxidant properties as well as some anticancer properties.1
Sources:
1. K. Nagendra Prasad, Jing Hao, John Shi, Ting Liu, Jiang Li, Xiaoyi Wei, Shengxiang Qiu, Sophia Xue, Yueming Jiang (2009). Antioxidant and anticancer activities of high pressure-assisted extract of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) fruit pericarp. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 10(4): 413-419. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2009.04.003.
Use of Long Yan Rou as food
Long Yan Rou is also eaten as food. It is used as an ingredient in dishes such as Longan Cheesecake or Lemon Chicken with Longan.