Bottle Gourd Peel — Classic Formulas

Hu Lu Ke · Pericarpium Lagenariae

Primary Actions

  • Promotes urination and reduces edema - used for facial swelling, abdominal distention from water retention, scanty urine, and damp fluid accumulation that needs a gentle draining herb.
  • Drains Dampness and supports resolution of jaundice and urinary heat - extended to damp-heat jaundice, hot strangury, and hematuria in regional and folk practice.
  • Relieves mild fluid-related fullness and swelling through a light food-medicine approach - the dried peel is milder than harsher diuretics and is often used when daily-life retention patterns need steady, moderate support.

Classic Formulas

  • Hu Lu Ke with Fu Ling, Zhu Ling, and Ze Xie - a straightforward edema pairing strategy for swelling, oliguria, and generalized water retention.
  • Hu Lu Ke with Hua Shi, Mu Tong, and Che Qian Zi - used when damp-heat obstructs urination and produces burning, dribbling, or dark scanty urine.
  • Hu Lu Ke with Yin Chen, Zhi Zi, and Jin Qian Cao - regional combination pattern for damp-heat jaundice with yellowing, abdominal fullness, and poor fluid movement.

Classical Text References

  • IMPORT NOTE: the source XLSX used the generic pinyin 'Hu Lu' while the Latin clearly specifies Pericarpium Lagenariae. This record standardizes the drug-part identity to Hu Lu Ke, the dried bottle gourd peel or shell.
  • TCMLY records Hu Lu Ke as sweet and relatively neutral, acting mainly through the Lung and Kidney channels, with traditional use for edema, difficult urination, jaundice, and hematuria.
  • Regional sources vary in whether they describe the peel, shell, or whole fruit and in how strongly they emphasize modern metabolic uses, but they consistently agree on the core water-draining and swelling-reducing function.