Characteristics The root appearing as irregular masses or flat-twisted strip_, unequal in size; surface grey-black, wrinkled and striated. Section appearing black, lustrous, even and without striae. Heavy in weight and soft in texture. Sweet in taste, cold in nature, and attributive to heart, liver and kidney channels.

Indication Clear away heat and cool the blood, nourish yin to promote the production of body fluid: For (1) seasonal febrile diseases involving yingfen and Yuefen, manifested as fever and irritability; (2) blood-heat syndrome manifested as hematemesis, epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematuria, hemafecia, metrorrhagia, etc~; (3) febrile diseases with consuption of body fluid manifested as fever, thirst and constipation;. (4) syndrome of yin-deficiency and fire-hyperactivity with hectic fever; (5) lung dryness syndrome with cough or epistaxis; (6) sthenic or asthenic heat-syndrome with sorethroat; (7) diabetes.

1. Its decoction exerts a protective effect on experimental hepatitis of mice induced by carbon tetrachloride.

2. Gastric feeding or injection of its decoction, water infusion or alcoholic extract can lower the blood sugar level in rabbits (this result is controversial in the recent years).

1. Intravenous injection of its extract exerts a hypertensive and diuretic effect in rabbits and dogs.

4. Its alcoholic extract shortens the blood coagulation time in rabbits.

5. Its water infusion inhibits the growth of some pathogenic fungi.