Niger Bean
Lablab Purpureus
Bian Dou

About

Properties in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Mild; sweet

Part(s) used

Potential toxicity/side effects

Functions/effects it is traditionally believed to have

1. treatment of deficient spleen not transforming and transporting water manifested as lassitude, poor appetite, loose stool or diarrhea, or leukorrhea due to downward flowing of turbid dampness. hyacinth bean (biandou) is used with ginseng (renshen), white atractylodes (baizhu) and poria (fuling) in the formula shen ling baizhu san. 2. treatment of disharmony of the spleen and stomach due to invasion from exogenous pathogenic summer-damp-heat manifested as vomiting and diarrhea. hyacinth bean (biandou) is used with elsholtzia (xiangru) and magnolia bark (houpo) in the formula xiangru san.

Conditions/symptoms it is traditionally used to treat

Containing phytoagglutintin, trypsin and amylase inhibitors.