Bitter Herb, a traditional Chinese medicine, is a plant of the Asteraceae family. This plant is distributed in various provinces of China; in addition, it can also be found in the Far East, Mongolia, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Bitter Herb has the functions of clearing heat and detoxifying, resolving suppuration, stopping bleeding, and promoting vitality. It can be used to treat ulcers, unknown swellings, uterine bleeding, and other conditions.
【Morphology of Bitter Herb】
Bitter Herb is a perennial herbaceous plant, 30-70 cm tall, and contains latex. The stem is erect, hairless, and branched in the upper part.
The basal leaves are inverted ovate-lanceolate or spoon-shaped, 5-10 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, with blunt-rounded tips, and the edges are pinnately divided or occasionally lyre-shaped with irregular serrations. Stem leaves are sessile, with auricles at the base.
The head-like inflorescence is about 5 mm long, and most of them are gathered in umbels. The corolla is 6-8 mm long, ligulate, yellow, with a tongue-like corolla tube of 4-6 mm long and 5 teeth.
The achene becomes dark brown when mature, with white pappus.
It grows on slopes of low mountains and grassy roadsides. It is distributed in most parts of China.
【Usage and Dosage of Bitter Herb】
Oral administration: Decoction, 2-3 qian (about 6-9 grams). External use: Crush and apply.
【Prescription involving Bitter Herb】
① Treating breast abscess: First, after pricking the blood at a point two inches beside the Dazhui acupoint, use a fire cupping jar to drain the pus. Then, crush Bitter Herb, dandelion, and violet herb together and apply them to the affected area. (From "Shaanxi Chinese Herbal Medicine")
② Treating hematuria: Take a handful of Bitter Herb, boil it in a mixture of wine and water, and drink the decoction. (From "Zhenjiu Zisheng Jing")
