Viral hepatitis is an infectious disease caused by various hepatitis viruses. It is clinically manifested as fatigue, impaired appetite, nausea, vomiting, hepatosplenomegaly and impaired function of the liver, and jaundice and fever in some cases. Viral hepatitis can be divided into five types -Type A, Type B, Type C, Type D and Type E; and two types in terms of its onset acute and chronic. Hepatitis A and E are mostly manifested as acute type and may recover within 6 months. Hepatitis B, C and D are liable to become chronic, but seldom serious, and only a few cases develop to cirrhosis.

Chronic hepatitis B and C have a close relation to hepatocellular carcinoma. In TCM, "huang dan" (jaundice), "xie tong" (hypochondriac pain) and "gan wen" (fulminant hepatitis) may manifest similar symptoms of hepatitis. Exogenous factors of this disease are pathogenic damp heat. Its pathogenesis is chiefly retention of damp heat in the interior and incoordination between the liver and spleen, and the diseased location is the spleen, stomach, liver and gallbladder.