What it is:
This herb is the flower buds of Daphne genkwa Sieb. et Zucc. (family Thymelaceae). Anhui and Jiangsu are the main producing provinces. The buds are dried in sun- light after plucking in spring and pro- cessed with vinegar for use.

Property:
, flavour and channel tropism: pungent and bitter in flavour, warm in property, poisonous, acting on the lung, kidney and large intestine channels.

Effects:
Removing fluid retention, eliminating phlegm, relieving cough, parasiticidal and effective for skin diseases.

Used for:
1. It has a hydragogue action similar to that of kansui and knoxia and is often used together with these two herbs to comple- ment one another in treating edema of the face and body, ascites and fluid retention in the pleural cavity, as in Ten Jujube Decoction (Shizao Tang) and in Pill for Relieving Ascites (Zhouju Wan).

2. Profuse sputum and cough. It is often decocted together with Chinese dates for an oral dose which is effective for chronic bronchitis of cold- damp type. 3. For treating scalp infection, tinea capitis and neurodermatitis, the fine powder of genkwa flower is used alone or mixed with realgar powder and lard to make up an ointment for external use.

Dosage and administration: 1.5- 3g. It is usually used in powder of pills. Proper dosage for external use.

Precautions:
The herb should not be prescribed to preg- nant women and weak patients. It is antagonistic to liquorice.