Properties: Pungent, bitter, hot, strongly toxic

Meridans Entered:
Primary: Heart, Liver, Kidney and Spleen

1. Expels Wind-Dampness, disperses Cold, warms and activates the channels and stops pain
   Wind-Damp Painful Obstruction (Bi) with
   Severe sub-cardiac and abdominal pain from Wind-Cold-Dampness
   Headache
   Trauma
   Anesthesia
   (Can be applied topically)
2. Reduces swellings, induces ulceration and dispels putrefication
   Topically for Yin flat abscesses
   Used when hard abscesses do not soften and ulcerate or do not heal
3. Treats unconsciousness caused by Phlegm Stagnation
   Unprocessed can treat unconsciousness, deviation of the mouth and eyes and a roaring sound of Phlegm in the throat (very rare usage)

Suggested Daily Dosage: 1.5-3g in decoction.

Cautions: It is contraindicated to pregnancy, and antagonistic to Ban Xia, Gua Lou, Bei Mu, Bai Lian and Bai Ji. It should be processed for oral administration by decocting until no numbing taste is left before adding the other herbs. Caution should be paid when the crude products are taken orally or it is used in wine soak and decocted in wine which will easily lead to toxic reactions.

This herb is prohibited from use in the UK under the banned and restricted herbal ingredients list issued by the MHRA. It is generally substituted with various Yang tonics depending on the presentation although none can imitate its powerful cardiovascular effects making them ineffective substitutes for rescuing devastated Yang. External use is permitted at 1.3% or below.