This product is the bark of the deciduous tree species of the beautiful streetgum resin family, Phellodendron bark (关 Phelloendron Bark) (Phellodendron amurense Rupr.) or Phellodendron chinense (川 Phelloendron Bark) (Phellodendron chinense Schneid.), with the cork layer removed. 关 Phelloendron Bark is mainly produced in Liaoning, Jilin, Hebei, and other regions; 川 Phelloendron Bark is mainly produced in Sichuan, Guizhou, Hubei, Yunnan, and other regions. Around the time of Pure Brightness (the 5th solar term), the bark is stripped, the rough outer layer is scraped off, dried, flattened, moistened, and then sliced or shredded. It is used raw or processed with salt water, wine, or stir-frying to scorch.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Bitter, cold. Act on kidney, bladder and large intestinal meridians.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Clearing heat and drying dampness, clearing heat and removing toxins, reducing fever and eliminating steaming.

bubble_chart Indications

1. is used for dampness-heat leukorrhea, heat stranguria, beriberi, diarrhea, and jaundice. This product is bitter and cold, with a descending nature, clearing heat and drying dampness, and is particularly effective in clearing and purging dampness-heat in the lower energizer. For dampness-heat pouring down, leukorrhea that is yellow, turbid, and foul-smelling, it is often used with Chinese Yam, Gordon Euryale Seed, Plantain Seed, etc., such as in Transforming Yellow Decoction; for treating bladder dampness-heat, with symptoms of burning urination and painful dribbling, it is often combined with Plantain Seed, Talc, Akebia Stem, and other heat-clearing and diuretic agents; for treating dampness-heat pouring down, beriberi with weakness, and swelling and pain in the feet and knees, it is often used with Atractylodes Rhizome, Achyranthes Root, such as in Three Marvel Pill; for dampness-heat diarrhea and dysentery, it can be combined with Chinese Pulsatilla Root, Coptis Rhizome, Ash Bark, etc., such as in Pulsatilla Decoction; for treating dampness-heat jaundice with dark urine, it is often used with Gardenia, such as in Gardenia and Phelloendron Decoction.
2. It is used for sores, ulcers, swelling, and pain, as well as eczema. This product can both clear heat and dry dampness, and clear heat and remove toxins. For treating sores and ulcers with swelling and toxicity, it can be used both internally and externally. Internally, it is often used with Coptis Rhizome, Gardenia; externally, it is ground into a fine powder and applied to the affected area with pig bile or egg white; for treating eczema, vulvar itching, and swelling of the vulva, it can be used with Schizonepeta, Sophora, Cnidium Fruit, etc., and can be taken internally or used as a wash, or combined with Indigo, Talc, Liquorice Root and ground into a fine powder for application.
3. It is used for yin-deficiency fever, night sweats, and seminal emission. This product is particularly effective in clearing ministerial fire and reducing deficiency heat. It is often used with Anemarrhena for mutual reinforcement, and combined with Prepared Rehmannia Root, Cornus, Tortoise Carapace, and other yin-nourishing and fire-reducing herbs, such as in Anemarrhena, Phelloendron and Rehmannia Pill, Major Yin-Tonifying Pill.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Benjing: "Governs the five zang-organs, heat accumulation in the intestines and stomach, jaundice, intestinal hemorrhoids, stops diarrhea, female fistula disease with red and white discharge, and erosive sores of the yin."
2. Zhenzhunang: "There are six uses of Phelloendron Bark: first, to purge the bladder's dragon fire; second, to promote urination and resolve stagnation; third, to eliminate dampness and swelling in the lower energizer; fourth, for dysentery with initial blood discharge; fifth, for pain in the navel; sixth, to tonify kidney deficiency and strengthen bone marrow."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Decoct and take 5-10g, or use in pills or powders. For external use, apply an appropriate amount. Use raw for clearing heat and drying dampness to remove toxins; use salt-processed for purging fire and relieving steaming heat; use stir-fried to scorch for stopping bleeding.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

This product is bitter and cold, which can easily injure stomach qi, and is therefore contraindicated for those with deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

This product contains various alkaloids such as berberine and Phellodendron bark alkaloids. Additionally, it includes Phellodendron bark ketones and Phellodendron bark lactones. The antibacterial spectrum and efficacy of Phellodendron bark are similar to those of Coptis Rhizome, inhibiting a variety of pathogenic bacteria including dysentery bacillus, cold-damage disease bacillus, subcutaneous node bacillus, Staphylococcus aureus, and hemolytic streptococcus. It also inhibits certain skin fungi, Leptospira, and the hepatitis B surface antigen. It has a protective effect on platelets and promotes the absorption of subcutaneous bleeding when applied externally. Furthermore, it has cholagogic, diuretic, antihypertensive, and antipyretic effects, although these are not as potent as those of Coptis Rhizome. Phellodendron bark also has hypoglycemic effects and promotes antibody production in mice.