INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT

Winter Melon/Dōng Guā 冬瓜

Benincasa hispida — the cooling, dampness-draining melon,
grown across East Asia as both vegetable and medicine for over 1,000 years.

FORMULA ROLE

Why LunarSip uses it.

Winter melon gives LunarSip’s Winter Melon Lotus Leaf Tea its cooling, fluid-balance direction. It pairs naturally with lotus leaf because both ingredients are traditionally connected with lightness after meals and a less heavy daily routine. In this 8-herb formula, winter melon supports the blend’s gentle character while lotus leaf, cassia seed, tangerine peel, hawthorn, oolong tea, red date, and rose round out taste and post-meal comfort.

HOW IT'S USED

The wax-skinned gourd.

In Chinese herbal practices, three parts of winter melon are traditionally distinguished: the flesh (Dōng Guā), the peel (Dōng Guā Pí, 冬瓜皮), and the seeds (Dōng Guā Zǐ, 冬瓜子). The peel — used by LunarSip — is the most diuretic part, traditionally classified as cooling and sweet, draining dampness while clearing heat. It is one of the most-used herbs in TCM formulas for damp-heat patterns and fluid retention.

In Western herbal traditions, Benincasa hispida has been studied for its polyphenols, triterpenes, and phytosterols. Modern pharmacology has documented diuretic, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and gastroprotective activities — primarily in preclinical models. The dried peel preserves the bioactive compounds while the cucurbitin-rich flesh contributes most of the hydration value when fresh.

THE EVIDENCE

What the research says.

Modern research on winter melon spansdiuretic activity, metabolic wellness, and gastroprotection— primarily in preclinical and animal models.
LITERATURE UPDATE

A Literature-Based Update on Benincasa hispida: Traditional Uses, Nutraceutical, and Phytopharmacological Profiles

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity · 2021

This comprehensive literature review documents thatB. hispidahas been "used in traditional medicine to treatneurological diseases, kidney disease, fever, and cough." The review synthesizes preclinical evidence across the plant's nutraceutical and pharmacological profiles.

READ ARTICLE ↗
PEEL-SPECIFIC REVIEW

Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Benincasae Exocarpium: A review

Chinese Herbal Medicines · 2022

A focused review ofwinter melon peel(Benincasae Exocarpium) — the part traditionally used as Dōng Guā Pí. Authors identified43 compoundsincluding flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, and phenolic acids, with documented diuretic, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, and antioxidant activities.

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NETWORK PHARMACOLOGY · 2024

Metabolite Profiling and Network Pharmacology Based Mechanism of Benincasa hispida against Type-2 Diabetes

Frontiers in Pharmacology · 2024

A 2024 study integrating metabolomics and network pharmacology to examine winter melon's mechanisms against non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Research suggests polyphenol-enriched fractions modulate metabolic pathways consistent with traditional damp-heat clearing.

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PRECLINICAL STUDY

Gastroprotective effect of Benincasa hispida fruit extract

Indian Journal of Pharmacology · 2011

Animal studies demonstrated significant reduction in ulcer index across multiple gastric injury models, with results comparable to standard omeprazole-treated groups. The findings align with traditional use of winter melon for gastric soothing.

READ ARTICLE ↗

FOUND HERE

In these LunarSip formulas.
Winter Melon Lotus Leaf Tea
Winter Melon Lotus Leaf Tea$34.00