Heat-Clearing and toxicity-Removing Herbs
Cao Shi Can (草石蚕)

Name
Cao Shi Can (Chinese artichoke)
The Effect of 草石蚕
Property
Sweet, bland, cool; liver and spleen meridians entered.
Actions
Dispel wind and eliminate dampness, clear heat and remove toxicity.
Indications
Rheumatic arthritis, asthma, cough, jaundice due to damp-heat, stranguria, snake bites, morbid leucorrhea, pulmonary abscess, diphtheria, swelling and aching of gum, acute mastitis.
Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 9~15 g, or made into powder or soaked in wine. Proper dosage is for external application. Pounded into powder for applying.
Cautions
It cann’t be taken overdose.
Sources and further reading
We cite classical materia medica and modern reference works. This article is health education, not medical advice.
- Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), Han dynasty.
- Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen, 1578.
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia, current edition — identity, quality and safety monographs.
- NCCIH and WHO reference material on traditional medicine safety.
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