Wild loquat is an evergreen climbing shrub belonging to the Schisandraceae family. It is widely distributed in southwestern China and Northwest Vietnam.
The fruiting season for wild loquat usually ranges from July to November. The fruits are nearly spherical and range in color from red to dark purple.
According to Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, wild loquat can be considered a relatively rare medicinal plant in Vietnam.
The stem of wild loquat has a bitter and spicy taste, with warming properties. It helps dispel wind, eliminate dampness, regulate qi, and promote blood circulation. The fruits have a spicy taste and slightly warming properties, aiding in calming the heart, tonifying the kidneys, and stopping coughs and phlegm.
Wild Loquat Benefits and UsesWild loquat is also used as a traditional medicine (Photo: FB).
In folk medicine, wild loquat is used as a tonic, promotes blood circulation, reduces pain, and stimulates digestion. For medicinal use, 8-16g per day is recommended. The bark of the roots or stems can be ground into powder and soaked in alcohol for consumption, divided into two doses daily. When ripe, the fruits are edible. Wild loquat seeds can sometimes be used as a substitute for North Five Flavor Fruit.
In China, the stems and roots of wild loquat are used to treat rheumatism, peptic ulcers, dysmenorrhea, and postpartum abdominal pain.
The fruits are effective for kidney deficiency, back pain, coughs, sore throat, bronchitis, and neurasthenia. You can use them daily, 6-9g boiled in water. A decoction of wild loquat roots, oregano, cardamom, and other ingredients, soaked in alcohol, can be used to treat dysmenorrhea.
Dr. Phùng Tuấn Giang, Chairman of the Institute of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine Research and Development, mentioned that ripe wild loquat has a sweet and fragrant taste, unique aroma, high nutritional value, rich in vitamins C and E, amino acids, and trace elements.
It is also a good source of lignans and triterpenoids. To date, 202 different compounds have been isolated from this plant.
The pharmacological effects of wild loquat fruits are quite powerful. The chemical components have been reported to exhibit various biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-cancer, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, nitric oxide inhibition, anti-thrombotic, and neuroprotective properties.
According to Dr. Giang, in traditional medicine, wild loquat is known as “black old tiger” and is used for its cooling, detoxifying, wind-dispelling, meridian-activating, qi-regulating, pain-relieving, liver-clearing, vision-improving, kidney-tonifying, blood-nourishing, and beauty-enhancing properties.
It is used to treat nocturnal emissions, insomnia, chronic cough, chronic gastritis, gastrointestinal ulcers, arthritis, bruises, swelling, dysmenorrhea, and postpartum blood stasis.
Besides fresh fruits, wild loquat fruits and roots are also used to make medicinal wine. According to the Hmong ethnic group’s traditional medicine, wild loquat wine, also known as “Tsun Khun,” is beneficial for men and is considered an “aphrodisiac.”
In traditional medicine, wild loquat is believed to tonify the kidneys and enhance male vitality. Its other benefits also contribute to overall health improvement.
However, experts caution that improper use of medicinal wines for enhancing virility may pose risks. Alcohol itself is a stimulant that can increase the risk of erectile dysfunction.
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