The Source and Medicinal Properties of Nán Hè Shī (Wild Carrot Fruit): Getting to Know This Traditional Antiparasitic Chinese Herb

Nán Hè Shī is a traditional Chinese herb, consisting of the dried ripe fruits of the wild carrot (Daucus carota), a plant in the Apiaceae family. The fruits are generally harvested in autumn after they ripen and can be used as medicine once dried in the sun. Because the fruits are tiny and somewhat resemble lice in appearance, the ancients vividly called them "hè shī" (crane lice); to distinguish them from another medicinal material of the same name, the kind derived from wild carrot is customarily called Nán Hè Shī (southern crane lice).

In terms of macroscopic characteristics, Nán Hè Shī is mostly an oval schizocarp, often separated into two mericarps, with longitudinal ridges visible on the surface along with fine bristles or hooked hairs, and the color is mostly yellow-green to brown. The medicinal material has a distinctive fresh fragrance and a slightly bitter and pungent taste, and the aroma becomes more pronounced when rubbed, which also serves as a reference feature for identification.

In terms of medicinal properties, traditional Chinese medicine holds that Nán Hè Shī is bitter and pungent in taste, neutral in nature, and slightly toxic, entering the Spleen and Stomach meridians. It has the effect of killing parasites and dispersing accumulations, and is traditionally used mostly for abdominal pain due to parasitic accumulation, that is, abdominal discomfort caused by intestinal parasites such as roundworms and pinworms, and is often used clinically in formulas combined with other deworming medicines.

When using Nán Hè Shī, it should be noted that this product is slightly toxic and must be taken at a reasonable dosage under the guidance of a physician; it should not be used on one's own for a long time or in excess, and pregnant women and those with weak spleen and stomach should be even more cautious. In addition, the commonly seen hè shī on the market also includes Běi Hè Shī (northern crane lice), derived from the Asteraceae plant Carpesium abrotanoides; the two have different sources but similar uses, and can be distinguished by combining appearance and odor when purchasing.