Herba Patriniae (Baijiangcao)

Naming
Bai Jiang Cao (Herba Patriniae)-Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal)

Origin
The entire plants of Patrinia scabiosaefolia Fisch. ex Link. and P. villose Juss. of family Valerianaceae.

Location
Planted in most areas of China, and mainly produced in Sichuan, Hebei, Henan provinces and northeast area.

Harvest
Collected in summer and autumn.

The actual smell and taste
Special smell, slightly bitter taste.

Best quality
Dried and long root, being leafiness and complete, green in color, without impurities.

Processing
Cut into segments, unprocessed.

Property
Bitter, pungent, slightly cold; large intestine, stomach and liver meridians enrered.

Actions
Clear heat and remove toxicity, activate blood and alleviate pain.

Indications

A. Sores and abscess due to heat-toxicity
Being powerful in actions of clearing heat and removing toxicity, it is indicated for abdominal abscess, pulmonary abscess and dermal sores and abscess with swelling pain. It is regarded as the essential herb for treating abdominal abscess because it is specialized in clearing intestinal heat-toxicity and removing intestinal blood stagnation. For abdominal abscess, it can be used in stage of either stasis at the beginning or abscess, but it is commonly indicated for abdominal abscess with pus, and often combined with abscess-curing and pus-discharging herbs to improve the effects. For example, Fructus Alpiniae Oxyphyllae (Yizhiren), and Dong Gua Ren are combined in Yi Yi Fu Zi Bai Jiang San from Jin Kui Yao Lue. For initial abdominal abscess, heat-toxicity accumulation with blood stasis, abdominal pain with resistance to press, and no suppuration, it should be combined with Flos Lonicerae (Jinyinhua), Pu Gong Ying and Cortex Radicis (Mudanpi) which are herbs for clearing heat and removing toxicity, activating blood and promoting flow of qi. For pulmonary abscess manifested as cough and vomiting with purulent phlegm, it is often combined with lung-clearing, phlegm-dispelling and pus-discharging herbs, such as Herba Houttuyniae (Yuxingcao), Rhizoma Phragmitis (Lugen), Radix Platycodi (Jiegeng). For dermal sores and abscess, it is usually combined with Zi Hua Di Ding and Lian Qiao which excel in removing toxicity and curing abscess; they can be pounded for topical administration.

B. Abdominal pain due to stasis
With the actions of activating blood, resolving stasis and relieving pain, it is indicated for stasis syndrome such as menstrual disorder, dysmenorrhea and postpartum abdominalgia. It can be used alone, as in Wei Sheng Yi Jian Fang, it is used singly to treat abdominal stabbing pain after childbirth; it can also be combined with other blood-activating and pain-relieving, blood-nourishing and menstruation-regulating herbs such as Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Danggui), Radix Codonopsis (Dangshen). For example, it is combined with Dang Gui and Chuan Xiong to treat endless lochiorrhea after childbirth, puerperal lumbago with difficulty in rotating, as in Wai Tai Mi Yao and Guang Ji Fang.

In addition, with the actions of clearing heat and removing toxicity, it is also indicated for leucorrhagia due to damp-heat, dysentery with reddish white feces, jaundice and red swollen eyes with pain.

Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 6~15 g. Proper dosage is for topical application.