Fourstamen Stephania Root

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui.

Irregular cylindrical, shaped like a "pig’s large intestine," cut into semi-cylindrical or lump-like shape, curved, deep indented horizontally-oriented grooves arranged in rings, 5~15cm long, 1~5cm diameter. Externally grayish-yellow, with thin wrinkles and horizontal raised lenticels. Firm and heavy texture; fractured surface is smooth and grayish-white, with ‘spider-web pattern’, powdery. faint odor; bitter taste.

Superior medicinal material is firm; fractured surface is white and powdery.

Bitter; cold.

Promotes urination, reduces swelling, dispels wind, relieves pain. apply to edema and beriberi, difficulty in micturition, wind-damp impediment, rheumatic arthralgia, hypertension. According to common views, Han fang ji has stronger effect of promotes urination and reduces swelling; Mu fang ji has stronger effect of dispels wind and relieves pain.

'Spider-web patterns’: This refers to the special pattern of lines seen on the horizontal fractured surface of fang ji medicinal material; the vascular bundles of the woody portion present in a sparse radial arrangement, and the ducts have fibers and thin-walled cells that are lignified, giving an appearance similar to a spider-web.