Nature: acrid, bitter, slightly cold
Enters: Stomach, Large Intestine, Liver
Actions: Clears heat; eliminates toxicity; relieves stagnation of heat and toxicity; drains pus; dispels blood stasis, relieves pain; calms the Shen.
Indications:
• Heat and toxicity: carbuncles, abscesses in organs, surface sores and swellings. Used internally and/or topically.
• Blood stasis (especially heat-induced): pain, especially in the chest and abdomen. Also for postpartum and postoperative pain.
• Prostatitis – drains pus out of the prostate.
• Shen disturbance with heat: anxiety and insomnia.
• Mumps: one study of over 200 cases showed Bai jiang cao to effectively treat mumps (used with Shi gao, internally plus applied topically as a paste), providing relief to 90% of cases within 24 hours.
MLT: Specific for colitis/intestinal heat. Anti-inflammatory.
Hsu: Antibacterial; protects the liver: stimulates regeneration of liver cells, prevents denaturalization.
Dose: 9-15g (to 30g)