Heat-Clearing and toxicity-Removing Herbs
Ku Xuan Shen: Chinese Herb Guide
Ku Xuan Shen
苦玄参
苦玄參

Name
Ku Xuan Shen (Herba Picriae)
The Effect of Herba Picriae
Property
Bitter, cold; lung, stomach and liver meridians entered.
Actions
Clear heat and remove toxicity, resolve swelling and alleviate pain.
Indications
Cold due to wind-heat, sore throat, diarrhea, sores and boils, snake and insect bites, traumatic injury, abdominal pain, mumps, pharyngitis.
Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 9~15 g. Proper dosage is for external application.
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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