Huang Qin

Channels: GB, LI, LU, ST

Properties: Bitter, Cold

Common: Baical Skullcap Root

Latin: Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis

Actions:

• Clears heat, fire, and drains dampness: especially for heat and damp in the upper jiao, symptoms include high fever, thirst, cough, irritability, and sputum that is thick and yellow. Used topically or internally for hot sores and swellings.
• Clears damp heat in the stomach and intestines: for diarrhea or dysentery with high fever, thirst with inability to drink, or painful urination. Also used with other herbs for damp heat jaundice.
• Clears heat and stops bleeding: for blood in the stool, epistaxis, or vomiting with blood.
• Calms the fetus: for threatened miscarriage when the fetus is restless due to heat.
• Calms liver yang rising: for headache, red eyes, bitter taste in the mouth, irritability, or hypertension.

Contraindications:

• Contraindicated in heat in the lungs from deficiency, cold in the middle jiao, and restless fetus due to cold. Some traditional sources say this herb counteracts Rhizoma et Radix Veratri (li lu), and Cortex Moutan Radicis (mu dan pi).

• Dosage: 6-15g. Dry-fried reduces its cooling nature and helps herb to enter the blood (for restless fetus and heat in lower jiao), fried in wine to help the herb rise to the upper jiao. More effective to stop bleeding in its charred form. Part used = root.