Prunus mume is an attractive pink or white flowering tree commonly called Chinese plum, Korean plum, or Japanese apricot. It is called ‘maesil’ in Korean and ‘ume’ in Japanese. In traditional medicine, most parts of P. mume are used, the fruit is used to cure fevers, while the flower is used to treat eye pain and skin conditions. Its green fruits are fermented in sugar for several months, then when it turns into a syrup, also known as ‘maesil-chung’ in Korea, it is used for tea and cold beverages by mixing it with water. In Korea, it is considered as a natural digestive, so its popular as a tea or drink after meal. It is also a good drink for anti-fatigue.

Scientific studies demonstrated anti-microbial and anti-oxidant efficacies of P. mume extract. Phytochemical studies isolated various flavonoids including prunasin, isoquercitrin, rutin, epicatechin. P. mume syrup, ‘maesil-chung’ was also reported to have anti-microbial activities supporting its traditional use as anti-bacterial agent.