Redroot Gromwell

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of northeast and Inner Mongolia.

Ying zi cao: Conical, curved, with branches, 7~14cm long, 1~2cm diameter. Externally purplish-red or purplish-black, rough with longitudinal wrinkles, thin cortex, easily falls off. Hard and brittle texture, easily broken, fractured surface has dark purple cortex, relatively large xylem, and grayish-yellow. Distinctive aromatic odor, sour and sweet taste. Ruan zi cao: irregular long cylindrical, often curved, 7~20cm long, 1~2.5cm diameter. Externally purplish-red or purplish-brown, loose cortex, which is flake-like, often has about 10 layers overlapped, easily falls off. Branched remnants of stem can be seen at the apex. Soft texture, loose, easily broken, fractured surface is coarse, relatively small xylem, yellow or yellowish-white. Distinctively aromatic odor, bitter and astringent taste. Arnebia guttata Bge.: slightly thin cortex, often numerous layered, easily falls off, hard and brittle texture, relatively neat fractured surface, relatively small xylem.

Superior medicinal material has thick strips, thick cortex, purple color.

Sweet, salty, slightly sour, cold.

Cools blood, invigorates blood, resolved toxin, outthrusts measles. Apply to heat and toxins in blood, purple dark macular eruptions, and measles without adequate eruptions, burns and scalds, and eczema, burns caused by hot liquids or fires. Clears heat, cools blood, apply to measles, maculopapular eruptions in warm disease, eczema, hematuria, blood strangury, sore, erysipelas, burn, constipation due to heat.