Indigowoad Root

Primarily produced in the provinces of Henan, Hebei, Anhui, Jiangsu, and northeastern China.

Long cylindrical, 10~20~30cm long, 3~8mm diameter. Externally pale grayish-yellow, rough, longitudinal wrinkles and horizontal spots, with supporting roots; head of root is slightly enlarged; apex has one concave, surrounded by dark green remnants of petioles; relatively thick root has dense verrucous protrusions and grayish-brown petiole scars are arranged in a wheel-like shape. Firm and brittle texture; fractured surface has yellowish-white to pale brown cortex, with yellow xylem. faint odor; taste slightly sweet.

Superior medicinal material has straight and thick roots, firm texture, and powdery.

Bitter; cold.

Clears hear, resolves toxin, cools the blood, benefits the throat. Apply to eruptions due to epidemic heat syndrome, headaches caused by chronic fever, epidemic disease characterized by swelling and redness of face, dark purple crimson tongue, scarlet fever, erysipelas, mumps, pharyngitis, swelling sores, chicken pox, measles, hepatitis, influenza, epidemic meningitis, Japanese B encephalitis, pneumonia, coma, hematemesis and non-traumatic hemorrhage, swelling throat, acute scleritis, sore and eruption.

‘Chrysanthemum center’: This is refers to the yellowish-white phloem of the horizontal fractured surface, and yellow xylem, which appear similar to an open chrysanthemum.