Herba Artemisiae Scopariae (Yinchen)

Naming
Yin Chen Hao (Herba Artemisiae Scopariae)-Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal)

Origin
The aerial part of perennial herbaceous plant Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit or A. capillaris Thunb. of family Compositae.

Location
Most areas of China.

Harvest
Collected in spring when the young plant is 6~10 cm high or in autumn when the bud is mature. The one collected in spring is called Mian Yin Chen, the one collected in autumn is called Yin Chen Hao.

The true smell and taste
Mian Yin Chen is faint scent in smell and slightly bitter in taste. Yin Chen Hao is aroma in smell and slightly bitter in taste.

Best quality
The best Mian Yin Chen is tender, soft in quality, green in colour, with fine-hair and aroma.

Processing
Get rid of impurity and old stem, twist up or cut up, unprocessed.

Property
Bitter, pungent and slightly cold, spleen, stomach, liver and gallbladder meridians entered.

Actions
Excrete dampness and alleviate jaundice, clear heat and remove toxicity.

Indications
A. Jaundice

It is good at clearing damp-heat from spleen, stomach, liver and gallbladder by inducing diuresis and also has the actions of promoting bile excretion and alleviating jaundice, so it is the essential herb for jaundice especially jaundice of damp-heat accumulated in liver and gallbladder. For yang jaundice manifested as brilliant yellowish skin and eyes, and dark yellow and scanty urine, it is usually combined with damp-heat clearing herbs. For instance, it is combined with Zhi Zi and Da Huang in Yin Chen Hao Tang from Shang Han Lun. For jaundice of dominant damp type with heat manifested as obvious dysuria, it is usually combined with the damp-excreting and diuresis-inducing herbs. For instance, it is combined with Poria (Fuling), Zhu Ling, Rhizoma Alismatis (Zexie), in Yin Chen Wu Ling San from Jin Kui Yao Lue. For yin jaundice due to spleen deficiency and cold-damp stagnation manifested as dull yellow, aversion to cold and abdominal distention, it should be combined with the interior-warming herbs. For instance, it is combined with Fu Zi and Gan Jiang in Yin Chen Si Ni Tang from Wei Sheng Bao Jian.

B. Eczema and itching

It can not only excrete damp, but also clear heat and remove toxicity, and "the aroma can disperse" and "connect skin and hair", so it is indicated for eczema and itching due to damp-heat accumulation. It is usually combined with the heat-clearing, damp-drying and wind-expelling herbs. For instance, it is combined with Cortex Phellodendri (HuangBai), Radix Flavescentis (Kushen), Fructus Kochiae (Difuzi)">Fructus Kochiae (Difuzi), from Qian Jin Yao Fang.

Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 6～l5 g. Proper dosage is for external application, or be washed with decoction.

Cautions
It is contraindicated for jaundice with yellowish skin due to accumulation of blood or sallow yellow due to blood deficiency.