In the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, the therapeutic value of gourds was studied and discussed in detail. Li Shizhen, a great medical scholar of the Ming Dynasty said, "Watermelon and sweet melon can injure the spleen and produce dampness pathogens in the body, because they are cold food, although they taste sweet and delicious. A patient with eye disease was cured by daily administration of watermelon dried in sun, because it can clear fire pathogens from the body by its cold nature." And, "The overeating of pumpkin may cause Jiao Qi (beriberi) and jaundice." Zhang Shiwan of the Qing Dynasty said, "Watermelon can expel heat pathogens from pericardium downward through the small intestine and urinary bladder, and relieve thirst in patients with Taiyang and Yangming syndrome or severe thirst in patients with febrile disease, so that it can produce the therapeutic effect of Baihu Tang (White Tiger Decoction)." Wang Shixiong said, "Sweet melon has a sweet taste and a cold nature. Therefore, it can relieve annoyance, thirst and hunger to treat summer dysentery." And, "In autumn, the pumpkin vine is cut into pieces, and soaked in water for preparing an extract to treat consumptive diseases in patients with endogenous heat pathogens." It was held that gourds can clear heat, relieve thirst, promote urination, and release annoyance, because they have a cold nature.

Nowadays, gourds are widely used to treat diseases of various medical branches, as a result of the development and application of the useful experiences of ancient physicians. For example, cucumber is used to treat sore throat and burn injuries; pumpkin is use to treat oligogalactia, whooping cough and intestinal parasites; oral administration of bitter gourd can relieve stomachache and pain in the eyes, and the external application of bitter gourd can treat pyogenic infections of the skin. The application of gourds in clinical practice has been much enriched and spread recently.

The therapeutic effect of fruits has been known in traditional Chinese medicine for a long time. For example, the date is recommended as a common herb to tonify the spleen and stomach and to adjust there function in the Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic, an ancient classical medical book; and grape, longan, sesame, lily and walnut are presented both as food and as herbs in Shen Nong's Herbal Classic, the first herbal book published in China. There is much useful information about the therapeutic value of fruits mentioned and recorded in these ancient medical books.

As mentioned by Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty in his book Ocean of Famous Prescriptions: "One dark plum, 2 dates and 7 almonds are pounded together for oral administration with wine for men and with vinegar for women to effectively prevent and treat pain in the heart." As mentioned by Zhu Danxi of the Yuan Dynasty: "Abdominal pain in women due to retention of lochia, and occipital headache in children can be treated by drinking the warm decoction of one hundred haws with cane sugar before a meal."

Physicians of the Ming Dynasty were more interested in the use of fruits in clinical therapy. According to Li Shizhen: "Because the tough meat of cold chicken can be easily boiled to cook a tender meat dish by using haws, the latter can be used to treat stagnation of meat dishes in the stomach." Since then, haws have been used as an important herb to promote digestion of meat and release stagnation of food. As mentioned by Miao Xiyong: "Dark plums have a sour taste. They can clear heat pathogens, relieve annoyance and tranquilize mind by inspiring air down to the lower energizer. Dysentery is due to failure of the large intestine, and dryness of the mouth after repeated expectoration of saliva is due to upward flaming of deficient fire and deficiency of saliva. Therefore, sour plums can constrain deficient fire, produce saliva, safeguard the intestines and cure dysentery."