The source is from the root tuber of Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker. Gawl., family Liliaceae. The medicinal material is produced in all parts of China. It is dug and collected in summer, the fibrous roots being removed, cleaned, dried and used crudely.

Medicinal Properties: Sweet and slightly bitter in flavor, slightly cold in nature and attributive to the heart, lung and stomach meridians.

Actions: Nourish yin and moisten the lung, benefit the stomach and regenerate the body fluids, clear away the heart-heat and relieve vexation.

Application
1. The medicinal herb is indicated for dry cough and sticky sputum due to lung-dryness and cough and hemoptysis due to asthenia of viscera. In treating pathogenic warm-dry invading the lung resulting in dry cough with less sputum that is difficult to be coughed out, dry nose and throat, it is usually combined with Sangye (Folium Mori ), Xingren ( Semen Armeniacae Amarum ) and Shengshigao (Gypsum Fibrosum), such as Qingzhao Jiufei Tang (Decoction); in treating insufficiency of lung-yin manifested as cough and hemoptysis due to asthenia of viscera, usually combined with Tianmendong (Radix Asparagi), such as Erdong Gao (Soft extract).

2. It is used for yin-syndromes of the stomach and intestine.  For insufficiency of stomach-yin with dry tongue and thirst, it is usually combined with Shashen ( Radix Adenophorae), Shengdihuang ( Radix Rehmanniae ) , Yuzhu  Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati ), etc., such as Yiwei Tang (Decoction); for constipation due to dryness of the intestine, may be combined with Shengdihuang (Radix Rehmannia) and Xuanshen (Radix Scrophulariae) to compose a formula, that is Zengye Tang (Decoction).

3. For vexation and palpitation caused by heat invading the heart, combined with Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis ) , Danshen ( Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae ), and Zhuye (Folium Phyllostachydis Henonis), etc., such as Qingying Tang (Decoction); for that caused by yin-deficiency and interior heat, usually combined with Xuanshen (Radix Scrophulariae ), Shengdihuang ( Radix Rehmanniae ) , and Suanzaoren ( Semen Ziziphi Spinosae ), etc., such as Tianwang Buxin Dan (Bolus).

Usage and Dosage:
6 -12 g is used in decoction for oral use.

Notes:
It is not suitable for cough due to exogenous wind and cold, and obstruction of phlegm-dampness in the lung.