What it is:
This herb is the rhizome and root of Notopterygium inci- sum Ting ex H.T. Chang or Notoptery- gium forbesii Boiss (family Umbelli- ferae),produced mainly in the pro- vinces of Sichuan, Gansu and Yunnan,in spring or autumn, dried in sunlight, sliced and used unprepared.

Property:
Pungent and bitter in flavour, warm in property, acting on the urinary bladder and kidney channels.

Effects:
Inducing diaphoresis, disper- sing cold, expelling wind, removing damp- ness and relieving pain.

Used for:
1. Aversion to cold, fever, headache and general pain due to affection by exopathogenic wind- cold. It is often used with ledebou- riella, dahurian angelica and asarum, as in Notopterygium Decoction of Nine Ingredients (Jiuwei Qianhuo Tang).

2. Arthralgia due to wind-cold-dampness with pains in the limbs and joints, especially pains in the upper part of the body. It is often used along with pubescent ange- lica,ledebouriella root, chastetree fruit, etc., as in Dampness Removal Decoction of Notop- terygium ( Qianghuo Shengshi Tang).

Dosage and admi- nistration: 3-10g, decocted in water for an oral dose.

Precautions:
Because this herb has lifting and disper- sing actions and is warm and dry in nature, it is liable to cause impairment to both yin and blood, and therefore, for deficiency syn- dromes of qi and blood, and for affection by exopa- thogens with dryness of the throat,it should be avoided.