The source is from the root of the perennial herbage, Sanguisorba officinalis L., family Rosaceae. The medicinal material is mainly produced in the areas of Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, and Shandong, etc. Dug in spring and autumn, dried in the sun, cut into slices, the crude or stir-baked one can be used.

Medicinal Properties: Bitter and sour in flavor, slightly cold in nature, and attributive to the liver, stomach and large intestine meridians.

Actions: Cool the blood and stop bleeding, eliminate toxic materials and treat pyogenic infection.

Application
1. It is used for all kinds of bleeding due to various blood-heat, especially for hematochezia, hemorrhoids, dysentery with bloody stools and metrorrhagia and metrostaxis due to blood-heat in the lower energizer, etc.. For hematochezia and hemorrhoids, it is usually combined with Huaihua (Flos Sophorae ); for metrorrhagia and metrostaxis due to blood-heat, used in combination with Shengdihuang ( Radix Rehmanniae), Huangqin ( Radix Scutellariae ) , Chaopuhuang ( Pollen Typhae , fried), etc.; for chronic dysentery with bloody stools, usually combined with Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis ), Muxiang (Radix Aucklandiae ), and Wumei ( Fructus Mume ), etc., such as Diyu Wan (Pill).
2. For scald, eczema, and skin ulcer, etc., especially for scald, it can be ground into powder that is mixed with sesame oil for application or used together with powder of Dahuang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei); for eczema and skin ulcer, etc., the crude form being decocted into thick decoction for external application; also being combined with Duanshigao (Gypsum Fibrosum Usta ) and Mingfan (Alumen), which are ground together into powder for application.

Usage and Dosage:
10 - 15 g is used in decoction for oral use, just right amount for external use.

Notes:
It is not suitable for large burn with external application of the Radix Sanguisorbae preparation so as to prevent from toxic hepatitis due to large absorption of hydrolysable tannin contained in the herb.