What are the effects and uses of Picrorhiza kurroa?

I. Where it is applied

1. Treating children who do not gain weight no matter how much they eat, and are emaciated.

This plant can treat this condition while also clearing damp-heat from our stomach and intestines. Usually, the most common method is to decoct it together with Atractylodes macrocephala, Quisqualis indica, and Crataegus (hawthorn) and take it as a decoction; the commonly used medicine Fei'er Wan may also be seen; at the same time, it can also be used together with Aloe, cinnabar, and Coptis chinensis, for example, pills made from this plant used together with pig bile, Shenqu, and Asafoetida; these combinations can all be used to treat symptoms in children such as fever caused by these conditions, a large abdomen with emaciation elsewhere, and difficulty digesting food.

2. Treating damp-heat diarrhea.

This plant is relatively bitter and cold; its effects are similar to those of Coptis chinensis, and it can remove damp-heat from the stomach and intestines, but its medicinal power is slightly a little weaker than that of Coptis chinensis. It is generally used to treat damp-heat in the human body, poor flow of qi within the body, bloody stool, constipation, and other symptoms, and can be formulated for use together with Phellodendron amurense, Aucklandia lappa, Pulsatilla chinensis, and others.

3. It can also treat the swelling and pain of hemorrhoids.

This herbal medicine tastes bitter and is cold in nature; it is suitable for clearing heat, and is especially most suitable for removing accumulated damp-fire in the large intestine, and it is also a commonly used medicine for treating hemorrhoids. For example, grind this plant into powder, add goose egg juice, and then apply it to the area where hemorrhoids have developed.

II. Pharmacological effects

1. Protecting the liver and promoting bile flow.

The extracted substances from the root of this plant are very beneficial to our gallbladder.

2. It can resist fungi on the skin.

Even as a water infusion, at a ratio of about 1:4, this substance has varying degrees of inhibitory effects on many kinds of fungi on the skin.

III. Usage and dosage

1. For internal use.

If this herbal medicine is decocted with water into a liquid, the approximate dosage is 6 to 12 grams, and it can be drunk directly; or it can be made into pills or medicinal powder for taking.

2. For external application.

If this herbal medicine is used externally, grind an appropriate amount of the herb into powder, mix it into a paste, and apply it to the wounded area; or soak the whole herb and take its juice.