Latin Name
Evodia rutaecarpa

General Description
This extremely fragrant herb is prescribed for abdominal disorders and sometimes for its painkilling properties. Evodia fruit is characterized in traditional Chinese medicine as hot, acrid, and bitter. Grown in several Chinese provinces, the fruit is harvested between August and October, when it is brownish green in color and not fully ripe.

Target Ailments
Taken internally or poultice applied externally for:

• Diarrhea with undigested food, especially morning diarrhea; headaches with vomiting, and nausea accompanied by lack of appreciation of the taste of food; pain in the upper abdomen; hernia.

Poultice applied externally for:

• Indigestion, high blood pressure and sores of the mouth or tongue.

Preparations
Evodia fruit is available in bulk or powdered form at Chinese pharmacies, Asian markets and some Western health food stores.
Combinations: Evodia fruit is often mixed with other herbs to treat vomiting. These preparations frequently include fresh or dried ginger, pinellia root or coptis. In addition, practitioners recommend that powdered evodia be combined with vinegar to make a poultice. These pastes are then placed on the navel to relieve indigestion, or on the soles of the feet to treat high blood pressure and sores of the mouth and tongue. Consult a Chinese practitioner for advice about dosages and other herbal combinations.

Special Information

• WARNING: Herbalists consider evodia slightly toxic. They caution against long-term use and overdosage. They also believe that it can dry out body tissues.
  
• Practitioners often try to reduce side effects by giving patients a preparation of licorice before they take the evodia.
  
• In clinical tests, powdered evodia seems to have been helpful in treating eczema.

Possible Interactions
Some herbalists believe that evodia should not be used in combination with sage root.