Long Yan Rou (龙眼肉) — Longan Fruit in TCM | Heart-Spleen Tonic

At a Glance

• Herb: Long Yan Rou
• Chinese name: 龙眼肉 (Lóng Yǎn Ròu)
• Latin name: Longan Arillus
• Nature: Warm
• Taste: Sweet
• Meridian: Heart / Spleen
• Category: Herbs that Tonify Qi
• Introduction: Long Yan Rou (龙眼肉, Dimocarpus longan) — ‘dragon eye flesh’ — is the dried aril of the longan fruit, named for the resemblance of the shelled fruit to a dragon’s eye. A beloved food-medicine of southern China, it was first classified medicinally in the Shennong Bencao Jing and remains a cornerstone of Heart-Spleen tonification in TCM. Its sweet, warm character nourishes Blood, tonifies Heart and Spleen Qi, and calms the spirit — making it the defining food ingredient of Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction). Modern pharmacology identifies its polysaccharides, polyphenols, and adenosine with anxiolytic, sedative, antioxidant, and mild immunomodulatory effects.

Action

• Tonifies Heart and Spleen Qi — addresses fatigue, poor appetite, loose stools, and pallor from Spleen deficiency failing to generate Blood.
• Nourishes Blood and calms the spirit — primary herb for Heart Blood deficiency causing palpitations, insomnia, forgetfulness, and anxiety.
• Supplements Qi to hold Blood — used in patterns where Spleen Qi deficiency leads to abnormal uterine bleeding or easy bruising.

Clinical Application

• Heart and Spleen deficiency: palpitations, insomnia, excessive dreaming, forgetfulness, fatigue, poor appetite, and pale complexion — the signature pattern of Gui Pi Tang.
• Blood deficiency from overwork or chronic illness: dizziness, blurred vision, pallor, scanty menstruation.
• Postpartum or post-illness debility: rebuilding Qi and Blood after significant depletion.
• As a food-medicine: eaten raw, in soups, or steeped in rice wine for daily tonic use.

Precautions

• Dose: 9–15 g (dried); food quantities unrestricted.
• Contraindicated in Phlegm-Damp, interior Heat, or Damp-Heat patterns — the sweet, warm, moistening nature will worsen Dampness and Heat.
• Caution in patients with bloating, loose stools, or poor digestion — sweet tonics can be cloying.
• Contraindicated in the early stages of exterior conditions (Wind-Cold, Wind-Heat).
• Generally extremely safe; considered a food; overconsumption by Heat-type constitutions may cause mouth sores or dry throat.

Formula

• Gui Pi Tang (归脾汤): Long Yan Rou with Ren Shen, Huang Qi, Bai Zhu, Dang Gui, Fu Shen, Suan Zao Ren, Yuan Zhi, Mu Xiang, Gan Cao, and Sheng Jiang — the classical Heart-Spleen tonic formula for insomnia, palpitations, and fatigue.
• Gui Pi Wan (归脾丸): patent pill form of Gui Pi Tang — widely used in clinical practice.
• Long Yan Rou Gao (龙眼肉膏): Long Yan Rou simmered into a thick paste with rock sugar — folk tonic for Blood deficiency.
• Long Yan Rou congee: combined with Hong Zao and Nuo Mi for postpartum recovery.

Combinations

• Long Yan Rou (龙眼肉) + Ren Shen (人参) + Huang Qi (黄芪) + Dang Gui (当归) + Suan Zao Ren (酸枣仁) → Gui Pi Tang (归脾汤) — tonify Heart-Spleen qi and blood; treat insomnia, palpitations, and excessive menstrual bleeding; most important formula for Heart-Spleen dual deficiency
• Long Yan Rou (龙眼肉) + Xi Yang Shen (西洋参) → Yu Ling Gao (玉灵膏) — Long Yan Rou 500g steamed with Xi Yang Shen 15g into paste — qi-blood-yin tonic; daily restorative for post-illness, postpartum, and chronic deficiency (Ye Tianshi classical formulation)
• Long Yan Rou (龙眼肉) + Suan Zao Ren (酸枣仁) + Fu Shen (茯神) + Yuan Zhi (远志) → calm Heart, nourish blood; treat insomnia
• Long Yan Rou (龙眼肉) + Dang Gui (当归) + Shu Di (熟地) → nourish blood; treat anemia with heart palpitations
• Long Yan Rou (龙眼肉) single herb → dried longan — daily tonic food; food-medicine dual use: one of the most widely consumed tonic foods in southern China; origins: Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian — tropical southern China; fresh vs dried: fresh longan generates fluids and quenches thirst, higher vitamin C; dried longan tonifies Heart-Spleen, stronger astringent-tonifying action; Yu Ling Gao preparation: Long Yan Rou steamed with Xi Yang Shen for 8 hours into paste — most suitable for postpartum, post-illness, and elderly; contraindicated in dampness excess, phlegm-fire

Pharmacological Effects

• Sedative / anxiolytic
  • adenosine — activate A₁ receptors
  • reduce CNS excitability
  • promote NREM sleep
  • polysaccharides — modulate GABA-A
  • 归脾汤 RCT evidence for insomnia with heart-spleen deficiency
  • reduce nocturnal wakenings and improve sleep quality scores
• Immunostimulant
  • polysaccharides — activate macrophage, NK cell, T-cell
  • stimulate IFN-γ, IL-2
  • enhance humoral immunity
  • anti-tumor surveillance
  • inhibit Lewis lung carcinoma and H22 hepatoma in mice
• Anti-tumor
  • ellagic acid — potent apoptosis inducer
  • inhibit DNA topoisomerase I/II
  • anti-angiogenic
  • anti-metastatic
  • active against colon, liver, prostate cancer
  • corilagin — induce apoptosis via mitochondrial pathway
  • anti-VEGF
• Hematopoietic
  • iron + adenosine — stimulate erythropoiesis
  • increase RBC, hemoglobin
  • vitamin C enhances iron absorption
  • used in blood-deficiency anemia formulas
• Anti-aging
  • polyphenols — high antioxidant DPPH scavenging
  • 5-HMF — reduce AGE formation
  • protect telomeres
  • polysaccharides — activate SIRT1
  • reduce p53/p21 senescence
• Cardioprotective
  • adenosine — anti-arrhythmic
  • vasodilatory
  • reduce heart rate
  • improve coronary blood flow
  • anti-platelet
• Neuroprotective
  • polysaccharides — improve memory in scopolamine models
  • reduce β-amyloid
  • BDNF upregulation
• Anti-fatigue
  • polysaccharides — increase glycogen
  • reduce lactic acid
  • improve mitochondrial function

Classic Description

• Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing: ‘Governs pathogenic qi of the five organs, settles the will and relieves anorexia; long-term use strengthens the ethereal soul, brightens the mind, lightens the body and prevents ageing, and opens the spirit.’
• Ben Cao Gang Mu: ‘Among foods, lychee is prized; but for benefit and replenishment, longan is superior, for lychee nature is hot while longan nature is moderate and neutral.’
• Ben Cao Hui Yan: ‘Long Yan Rou, sweet and warm, tonifies Heart and Spleen, nourishes blood and calms the spirit, moistens skin and brightens the complexion.’
• De Pei Ben Cao: ‘Benefits the Spleen and Stomach, preserves Heart-blood, moistens the five organs, treats palpitations and fearful throbbing.’