This product is the rhizome of the perennial herb Neopicrorhiza (Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora (Pennell) D.Y.Hong) of the Scrophularia Root family. It is native to the eastern Himalayas and the Hengduan Mountains, distributed in Nepal, Bhutan, China, and other regions; in China, it is found in Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan, and other areas. It mostly grows in alpine grasslands and rocky areas at altitudes of 3600 to 4400 meters in cold regions.

Neopicrorhiza was first recorded in the Xinxiu Bencao, "Neopicrorhiza comes from Persia (now Iran), growing in semi-terrestrial coastal fields, harvested in early August. Its seedlings resemble Prunella, and the root head resembles a bird's beak. When broken, the flesh resembles a crane's eye, which is of good quality." Su Song stated, "When first grown, it resembles reeds; when dried, it resembles withered willow branches, with a black core and yellow exterior. It can be harvested at any time." Chen Cheng noted, "When broken, dust emerges like smoke, which indicates its authenticity." According to its characteristics and origin, it is the same as the Neopicrorhiza used today.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Bitter cold. Act on heart, liver, stomach and large intestine meridians.

• Tang Bencao: "extremely cold."
• Kaibao Bencao: "bitter, neutral, nontoxic."
• Leigong Paozhi Yaoxing Jie: "Act on liver, gallbladder and stomach meridians."
• Bencao Huiyan: "Act on foot taiyin, foot yangming and jueyin meridians."

bubble_chart Efficacy

Clear deficiency heat, reduce infantile malnutrition heat, and eliminate dampness-heat.

bubble_chart Indications

1. is used for steaming bone fever and tidal fever. This product is cold in nature and enters the heart and liver meridians, specifically the blood aspect. It has the effects of reducing deficiency heat, eliminating steaming bone fever, cooling blood, and clearing heat. It is used to treat yin deficiency, labor heat, and steaming bone fever, often combined with Starwort Root, Chinese Wolfberry Root-bark, and others, such as in Bone-Clearing Powder.
2. It is used for infantile malnutrition with accumulation fever. This product can both eliminate infantile malnutrition heat and clear dampness-heat in the stomach and intestines, making it suitable for conditions such as infantile malnutrition with accumulation fever, indigestion, abdominal distension and fullness, emaciation, and persistent low fever. It is often combined with Tangshen, White Atractylodes Rhizome, hawthorn fruit, and others, such as in Chubby Child Pill.
3. It is used for dampness-heat diarrhea and hemorrhoid swelling and pain. This product is bitter and cold, with descending properties, and its effects are similar to Coptis Rhizome. It is particularly effective in eliminating dampness-heat in the stomach and intestines and dampness-fire accumulation in the lower energizer, making it an excellent remedy for dampness-heat diarrhea and hemorrhoid swelling and pain. For treating dampness-heat diarrhea, it is often combined with Skullcap Root, Phelloendron Bark, Chinese pulsatilla root, and others. For treating hemorrhoids, it can be combined with hedgehog skin, musk to form pills, or with Abalone Shell, Sophora Flower, Pangolin Scales to form pills for oral administration.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. "The Justice of Medicine": "Neopicrorhiza, uniquely enters the blood aspect to clear heat. Danxi said: steaming bone fever, all are caused by accumulation, this can cool blood and benefit yin, its efficacy is uniquely strong. If fever occurs at night and clarity during the day, it is heat in the blood aspect. This, combined with Ligusticum and Angelica, forms the Er Lian Decoction, which is miraculously effective in removing heat."
2. Bencaozheng Yi: "For all cases of heat dysentery with prolapse of the rectum, hemorrhoids and fistulas with sores and ulcers, bloody dysentery, blood strangury, bloody urine and diarrhea, and syphilitic sores, as well as dampness and fire accumulation, nothing else can directly reach the site of the disease. It can also be used for children with infantile malnutrition with accumulation and abdominal distension."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

For internal use, decoct 2-6g in water; or take in pill or powder form. For external use, grind into powder and apply as a poultice or soak in liquid for eye drops.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

Use with caution in cases of spleen-stomach weakness.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

This product contains Neopicrorhiza glycosides, Neopicrorhiza alcohol, Neopicrorhiza sterols, berberine, and others. The extract of the root has choleretic and antibacterial effects.