Da Fu Pi

Arecae Pericarpium (大腹皮, Dafupi) Areca Peel The dried pericarp of Areca catechu L. (Fam. Arecaceae). The unripe fruit is collected from winter to the following spring, boiled, dried, cut longitudinally into two valves, and the pericarp is peeled off. This is known as "Dafupi". The ripe fruit is collected from late spring to early autumn, boiled, dried, the pericarp peeled off, beaten to loosen the fibres, dried in the sun, and known as "Dafumao". Description Dafupi Somewhat elliptical or long-ovoid, gourd-shaped, 4–7 cm long, 2–3.5 cm wide, and 2–5 mm thick. Epicarp deep brown to blackish-brown, with irregular longitudinal wrinkles and raised transverse lines; style scar at the apex; fruit stalk and persistent calyx at the base. Endocarp concave, brown to dark brown, smooth, hard, and shell-like. Texture light and hard; mesocarp fibres visible when broken longitudinally. Odour slight; taste slightly astringent. Dafumao Somewhat elliptical or gourd-shaped. Epicarp mostly exfoliated or partially remaining. Mesocarp palm fibre-like, yellowish-white or pale brown. Texture loose and soft. Endocarp hard, shell-like, yellowish-brown or brown, inner surface smooth, sometimes split longitudinally. Odour slight; taste weak. Identification (1) Powder Yellowish-white or yellowish-brown. Mesocarp fibres in bundles, fine and long, 8–15 μm in diameter, slightly lignified, with distinct pits. Cells surrounding the fibre bundles contain silica bodies, rounded or cluster-shaped, about 8 μm in diameter. Endocarp cells irregularly polygonal, subrounded or elliptical, 48–88 μm in diameter, with distinct pits. (2) To 5 g of the powder add 50 ml of methanol, ultrasonicate for 30 minutes, and filter. Evaporate the filtrate to dryness. Dissolve the residue in 2 ml of methanol, filter, and use the filtrate as the test solution. Prepare a reference drug solution in the same manner using 5 g of Arecae Pericarpium Reference Drug. Carry out the method for thin-layer chromatography (0502), using silica gel G as the coating substance and a mixture of chloroform, methanol and formic acid (7 : 0.1 : 0.02) as the mobile phase. Apply separately 5 μl of each solution to the plate. After developing, remove the plate, dry in air, spray with 10% sulfuric acid in ethanol, and heat at 105°C until the spots are clearly visible. Examine under ultraviolet light at 365 nm. The fluorescent spots in the chromatogram obtained with the test solution correspond in position and colour to those obtained with the reference drug solution. Water Not more than 12.0% (0832, Method 2). Total Ash Not more than 7.0% (2302). Extractives Carry out the method for determination of ethanol-soluble extractives (2201, hot extraction method), using dilute ethanol as the solvent; not less than 9.0%. Prepared Slices Processing Dafupi Eliminate foreign matter, wash clean, cut into sections, and dry. Identification As required for the crude drug. Dafumao Eliminate foreign matter, wash clean, and dry. Identification As required for the crude drug. Property and Flavor Mildly warm; pungent. Meridian Tropism Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, and Small Intestine meridians. Actions To move qi, harmonize the middle, promote urination, and alleviate edema. Indications Dampness obstruction with qi stagnation, distention and oppression in the epigastrium and abdomen, difficult defecation, edema with abdominal fullness, edema of the feet, and inhibited urination. Administration and Dosage 5–10 g. Storage Preserve in a dry place.