What it is:
This herb is the rhizome of Paris polyphylla ( family Liliaceae) produced in Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan and Shanxi provinces. It is collected all the year round, washed clean after cutting off the rootlets, and dried in sunlight or by fire.

Property:
B itter and pungentin flavour,slightlycold in property, acting on the heart and liver channels.

Effects:
Clearing away heat, detoxicating, subduing swelling and alleviating pain, dyspnea and cough.

Used for:
1. Tumours of thelung, stomach, liver, cardia, urinary bladderand brain, leukemia and malignant lymphosarcoma.
(1) For retention of phlegm-heat in the lung and accumulation of phlegm-fire in lung cancer, it is often used with pyrrosia, dandelion and scutellaria root.
(2)For accumulation of blood stasis and toxin in carcinoma of digestive react, it is often used with pseudo-ginseng root, Chinese salviaand oldenlandia.
(3)For hepatocarcinoma,it is often used withsun-plant, edible tulip bulb,cow-bezoare, pseudo-ginseng root, centi-pede, zedoary rhizome,etc.
(4) Forcarcinoma of urinary bladder, it is often used with field thistle, cat-tail pollen, sun-plant, green brier rhizome, five leaf akebia seed, etc. The water exeractionof this herb exists intensive activity in vivo and vitro, inhibit various tumours.

2. Cough, dysdrugpneaand infection of respiratory tract. It is used alone or with antitussives andexpectorants.

3. Carbuncle, swelling, furuncle, sore, snake bite and insect bite. It is also used for neurodermatitis, surgical infection and chronic bronchitis recently.

Dosage and ad-ministration:10-15g,decocted in water for an oral dose, orsmashed to get juicefor external appli-cation. Precautions: It should not be used in cases with con-stitution of defi-ciency, without excess fire, heat and toxin , and in pregnant women.