Bad breath(halitosis) treated with TCM eupatorium

What is eupatorium(Pei Lan)?
Eupatorium actually refers to a genus in the family Asteraceae, in which there are from 36 to 60 different eupatorium varieties according to the classification system. The species grown in America and Europe are commonly called "Boneset", "Hemp Agrimony", and "Joe Pye Weed". And there E. purpureum was also traditionally used in homeopathy for a variety of diseases, including fevers, typhus outbreaks, kidney stones, and other urinary tract problems. Likewise, eupatorium fortunei is the oriental counterpart, which however is applied for different ailments. As you can see now, eupatorium fortunei is closely connected but different from other relative plants in the same genus like eupatorium perfoliatum, eupatorium rugosum, etc.

TCM wise, the medicinal eupatorium plant mainly refers to Eupatorium fortunei Turcz. (E. japonicum Thunb. Var. fortunei (Turcz.) Pamp.; Eupatorium chinense L. var. tripartitum Miq.). And the main medicinal part is the dried aerial parts. Hence, other names of it include Herba Eupatorii, Eupatorium fortunei herb, Lan Cao, etc. In China, it is primarily produced in provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Hebei. It is usually harvested in summer and autumn, twice a year. It is used raw or fresh.

Eupatorium fortunei is a perennial herb, 40 to 100cm in height. Roots grow broadwise. Erect stems are green or reddish purple and the lower part is shiny and hairless. Leaves are opposite; the lower ones are often wilted; the ones in the middle are with short handle, large 3-parted blade; the ones in the upper part are smaller. Capitulums align into compound corymb on the top of stems or branches. Inflorescence is 3 to 6cm in diameter; bell-shaped involucre is 6 to 7cm long; phyllary has 2 or 3 imbricate layers; each capitulum is with 4 to 6 flowers, which are tubular, white or reddish, and bisexual; syngenesious stamens are 5; pistil is 1 and with inferior ovary. Cylindrical achenes are dark brown when ripe, 5-edged, 3 to 4mm long, and with no hair and glands; white pappus is about 5mm long. Bloom and fruit time is from July to November. Habitats in the wild include roadside shrubs and riverside.

Eupatorium health benefits
So, how to kill bad breath instantly with eupatorium? To answer this question, it is necessary to find out the answer for why do we get bad breath. Bad breath is a common ailment that is annoying and mbarrassing. It tends to make people, especially the young, to be shy from coming into contact with others because of the inferiority feelings. From TCM’s point of view, apart from poor oral hygiene the typical causes of severe bad breath are the constant excessive stomach fire and the rising of damp turbidity. The usual signs and symptoms include heat in the mouth, tongue dryness, teeth tartar, swollen gums, bitter taste, greasy white tongue coating, Constipation, etc. There are many ways to fight bad breath naturally. But none will get effect instantly. Either will eupatorium. However, eupatorium tea does work on reducing the production of mouth odor since this herb is known for repelling foulness. And modern pharmacological studies have shown that its extract can effectively inhibit the reproduction and growth of 12 kinds of oral bacteria that are associated with bad breath, which thereby reduces the generation of oral sulfide material.