This product is the leaf of the perennial herb Lophatherum Herb (Lophatherum gracile Brongn.) from the Poaceae family. It is mainly produced in the provinces along the Yangtze River to the southern regions. It is harvested in autumn, dried in the sun, and used in segments.

Before the Ming Dynasty, the Bamboo Leaf or Lophatherum Herb used in formulas were not this product, but rather the leaves from the same family of plants, such as Phyllostachys nigra or Pleioblastus amarus. Bamboo Leaf is known for its ability to resolve depression and discharge heat, while this product excels in clearing heat and promoting diuresis.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Sweet and bland, cold. act on heart, stomach and small intestine channels.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Resolving depression and discharging heat, promoting urination.

bubble_chart Indications

1. Used for Rebing polydipsia. This product is sweet and cold in nature, with the functions of clearing heart and reducing fire, relieving restlessness and quenching thirst. It is used for Rebing fluid injury, heart vexation and thirst, often combined with Gypsum, Reed Rhizome, etc.
2. Used for aphtha, red urine, edema with scanty urine, jaundice with red urine. This product is sweet and bland in nature, cold in property, with the functions of clearing heart, reducing fire, promoting urination and draining dampness. It is used for excessive heart fire, mouth and tongue sores, as well as heat transferring to the small intestine, heat strangury with painful urination, often combined with Rush Pith, Talc, Lalang Grass Rhizome, etc. This product is particularly effective in eliminating dampness and draining heat, combined with Great Burdock Achene, Alisma, Motherwort Herb, etc., it can also treat edema with scanty urine. Combined with Virgate Wormwood, Astragalus Root, Gardenia, etc., it can also treat jaundice with red urine.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. 《Compendium of Materia Medica》: "Relieves vexing heat, promotes urination, clears the heart."
2. 《Modern Practical Chinese Medicinals》: "Clears heat and relieves fever, diuretic. Treats febrile thirst, difficult and painful urination, vexing heat and insomnia, swollen and painful gums."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Decoct and take 10-15g.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

This product contains triterpenoid compounds.

• It has antipyretic effects on animals with artificially induced fever;
• its diuretic effect is relatively weak, but it can increase the excretion of chloride in urine;
• it also has the effect of increasing blood sugar.