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Patrinia, Bai Jiang Cao 败酱草

Bai Jiang Cao (TCM)
Patrinia scabiosifolia
Loddiges, C.L., botanical cabinet [C. Loddiges] (1828)

Patrinia villosa
(Photo by 阿橋) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:
Patrinia villosa, P. scabiosifolia (P. scabiosaefolia )

Parts used:
Whole Herb (sometimes just the root is used)

Temperature & Taste:
Slightly Cool, dry. Pungent, Bitter

Classification:
B. Clears Heat and Poison

Uses:
1. Clears Heat and Poison, Clears Pus:
-Boils, Abscesses, Toxic Sores (internally and topically)
-Intestinal and Lung Abscess, with or without pus or suppuration
-Purulent Appendicitis
-Acute Pelvic Inflammation, Puerperal Sepsis
-foul Leukorrhea with or without blood
-Red and swollen eyes
-traditionally for various Poisons

2. Moves the Blood, Clears Obstruction, Eases Pain:
-Blood stasis of the Chest or Abdomen from heat
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea
-Postpartum pain, Postoperative pain
-Arthralgia from Wind with deficiency (Zhen Quan)


DOSE:
Decoction: 6–15 grams (15–30 grams fresh)
Fresh leaves may be beaten to a paste for external application.

SUBSTITUTE:
1. Thlaspi Su Bai Jiang
2. Sonchus brachyotus Qu Mai Cai or Bei Bai Jiang Cao
3. Dandelion
4. Interestingly, Patrinia scabiosaefolia of Japanese origin was sometimes sold on the London market as a substitute for Valerian;  it was said to have an odor and smell very similar to Valerian. (Pharmacographia, Fluckiger & Hanbury, 1879)

Main Combinations:
1. Abscess, Toxic Sores:
i. suppurative abscess, Patrinia with Lonicera Jin Yin Hua
ii. Abscess and Toxic Sores, Patrinia with Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying)
2. Intestinal Abscess, Patrinia with Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Rhubarb (Da Huang), Paeonia Mu Dan Pi
3. Lung Abscess:
i. Patrinia with Houttuynia Yu Xing Cao, Scutellaria Huang Qin
ii. once ruptured (cough with purulent and bloody sputum), Patrinia, Platycodon Jie Geng, Houttuynia Yu Xing Cao, Forsythia Lian Qiao, Coix Yi Yi Ren, Fritillaria Zhe Bei Mu, Gardenia Zhi Zi
4. Liver Abscess, Patrinia with Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao), Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying), Paeonia Mu Dan Pi
5. Dysmenorrhea, Patrinia with Paeonia Bai Shao, Corydalis Yan Hu Suo, Vervain (Ma Bian Cao), Paeonia Mu Dan Pi, Myrrh (Mo Yao)
6. Uterine Bleeding from Heat, Patrinia with Forsythia Lian Qiao, Coix Yi Yi Ren, Paeonia rubra Chi Shao Yao, Corydalis Yan Hu Suo, Peach kernel (Tao Ren)
7. Uterine Bleeding from Damp-Heat, Patrinia with Phellodendron Huang Bai, Agrimony (Xian He Cao), Motherwort (Yi Mu Cao), Vervain (Ma Bian Cao), Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu)
8. Postpartum Pain:
i. Patrinia with Paeonia Chi Shao Yao, Peach kernel (Tao Ren)
ii. Patrinia with Typha Pu Huang, Motherwort (Yi Mu Cao), Flying Squirrel Feces (Wu Ling Zhi)
9. Abdominal masses, Patrinia, Rhubarb (Da Huang), Paeonia Mu Dan Pi, Zedoary (E Zhu)
10. Abdominal pain from Qi and Blood stasis, Patrinia, Cyperus rotundus Xiang Fu, Dang Gui
11. Acute Pelvic Inflammation:
i. Patrinia with Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Forsythia Lian Qiao, Paeonia Mu Dan Pi, Paeonia Chi Shao Yao, Peach kernel (Tao Ren). (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
ii. Patrinia with Forsythia Lian Qiao, Phellodendron Huang Bai, Scutellaria Huang Qin, Oldenlandia Bai Hua She She Cao, Paeonia Mu Dan Pi, Licorice
12. Puerperal Sepsis, Patrinia with Dang Gui, Motherwort (Yi Mu Cao), Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Forsythia Lian Qiao, Peach kernel (Tao Ren), roasted Ginger (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
13. Acute Appendicitis in the final stage when suppuration has occurred, Patrinia with Coix Yi Yi Ren, Isatis Ban Lan Gen, Lonierca Jin Yin Hua, Dang Gui, Aconitum Fu Zi (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
14. Strangury from Damp-Heat, Patrinia, Alisma Ze Xie, Plantain seed (Che Qian Zi), Agrimony (Xian He Cao), Phellodendron Huang Bai (as in Long Qing Pian of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia)

Major Formulas:


Cautions:
Avoid during Pregnancy

Main Preparations used: