Nature: bitter, acrid, warm, toxic

Enters: Lung, Kidney, Large Intestine

Actions: Eliminates phlegm, stops coughing; strongly eliminates harmful body fluid by purging the bowels and promoting urination; kills fungus (topically).

Indications:
• Premier herb for fluid retention in the chest. In China, 500-1000mg capsules are given 2-3 times daily.
• Retention of harmful fluid: congested fluid in the chest, abdomen, or flanks, edema, ascites, hydrothorax.
• Lung cold and phlegm: cough. Shown to be 91% effective for chronic bronchitis.
• Topical: fungal infection, including ringworm.
• Traditionally forbidden in combination with Gan cao. Recent research suggests that there is in fact an increase in toxicity when these two herbs are combined.
• Fry with vinegar to reduce its toxicity.

Dose: 1.5-3g (generally in powder)