Picrorrhiza (HU HUANG LIAN)-Picrorhiza scrophulariaeflora-Rhizoma Picrorrhizae

Picrorrhiza (HU HUANG LIAN)

Picrorhiza scrophulariaeflora Pennell (Fam. Scrophulariaceae)

Pharmaceutical Name:

Rhizoma Picrorrhizae

Botanical Name:

Picrorhiza scrophulariaeflora Pennell (Fam. Scrophulariaceae)

Common Name:

Picrorrhiza

Part Used:

Rhizome

Rhizoma Picrrorhizae is produced mainly in the province of Yunnan and in Tibet. The rhizome, which is collected in autumn, is cleaned, dried in sunlight, and sliced for use.

Properties  Taste & Meridians:

Bitter in flavor, cold in property, acts on the Heart, Liver, Stomach, and Large Intestine channels.

Functions:

Clears Heat due to Yin Deficiency, relieves hectic fever, eliminates Damp Heat.

Indications & Combinations:

1. For fever with night sweats due to Yin Deficiency, it is used with Radix Stellariae (Yin Chai Hu) and Cortex Lycii Radicis (Di Gu Pi).

2. For infantile malnutrition with fever, dysentery, and distension in the abdomen, it is used with Radix Codonopsis (Dang Shen), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (Bai Zhu), Fructus Quisqualis (Shi Jun Zi), and Fructus Crataegi (Shan Zha).

3. For dysentery due to Damp Heat in the stomach and intestine, it is used alone or with other herbs.

Dosage and administration:

3–10 g, decocted in water for internal use.

Precautions:

None noted.

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