What it is:
The herb consists of the rhizome of Coptis chinensis Franch, or Coptis deltoidea Cheng et Hsiao, or Coptis teetoides Cheng (family Ranunculaceae), yielded mainly in the provinces of Sichuan, Hubei and Yunnan, collected in autumn, dried in sunlight, after getting rid of the rootlets and earth, and used unprepared or stir-baked with ginger juice.

Property:
Bitter in flavour,cold in property, acting on the heart, stomach, liver and large intestine channels.

Used for:
1. Damp-heat syndrome of the large intestine manifested as diarrhea, dysenteryand tenesmus. It isusually used withaucklandia, namedAucklandia and Coptis Pill (Xiang Lian Wan). If the diarrhea anddysentery are accom-panied with exterior syndrome with fever, it can be used with pueraria root ,scutellaria root andstir-baked liquorice, known as Decoction of Pueraira, Scutellaria and Coptis (GegenQinLian Tang). In cases of intermingled coldand heat in the middle-jiao manifested as feeling of fullnessin the stomach orabdomen, nausea andvomiting, it is often used with scutellaria root and pinellia tuber, as in PinelliaDecoction for Purging Stomach-fire (BanxiaXiexinTang).

2. Acute febrilediseases with exces-sive pathogenic fire and heat manifested ashigh fever, dysphoria,unconsciousness anddelirium. It is often used with scutellaria root and capejasmine fruit, as in AntidotalDecoction of Coptis (Huang Jian Fiedu Tang). In cases with exuberant fire due to hyperactivity of the heart shown asrestlessness and insomnia, or bleeding due to invasion of the blood by exuberantfire and heat, such as hematemesis and epistaxis, it is often used with scutellaria root and donkey-hide gelatin, as in Decoction of Coptis and donkey-hide gelatin (Huanglian Ejiao Tang).

3. Suppurativeinfections on the body surface,such as sores, carbuncles, furuncles and boils, septicemia induced by furuncu-losis, swellings and pain in the ears and eyes, canker sores in the mouth, exudativeskin infections andpruritus. It is used internally or exter-nally in combination with other herbs with regard to theactual conditions.

Dosage andadministration: 2-10g, decocted in water for an oral dose or used in bolus and powder.Appropriate amountfor external use. Precautions: This herb is very bitter and cold and, there-fore, it should not be given in large amount or over a long periodof time so as to avoid damage of the stomach.