Qinghao Herba Artemisiae Annuae
The source is from the herb of Artemisia annua L., family Compositae. The medicinal material is produced in all parts of China, collected in autumn that the flowers are vigorious. The fresh can be used or dried in shade and cut into segments for being used.
Medicinal Properties Bitter and purgent in flavor, cold in nature and attributive to the liver, gallbladder and kidney meridians.
Actions Clear away asthenic-heat and summer-heat and prevent recurrence of malaria.
Application
1. It is indicated for fever and hectic fever due to yin deficiency. Since it attributes to yinfen and clear away asthenic-heat,and is accompanied with relieving and dispering action, especially effective in hectic fever due to yin deficiency with anhidrosis. It is usually combined with Yinchaihu ( Radix Stellariae ), Huhuanglian ( Rhizoma Picrorrhizae ) , Zhimu ( Rhizoma Anemarrhenae ), and Biejia (Carapax Trionycis), etc., such as Qinggu San (Powder); for the late stage of seasonal febrile diseases with residual heat, fever at night subsiding in the morning, fever being gone but anhidrosis, or prolonged low fever after febrile disease, it is usually used together with Biejia ( Carapax Trionycis ), Mudanpi ( Cortex Moutan Radicis ), and Shengdihuang ( Radix Rehmanniae ), etc., such as Qinghao Biejia Tang (Decoction).
2. It is indicated for summer-heat syndrome or the syndrome with dampness and damp-warm disease with alternating steaming of damp and warm. For summer-heat with fever and perspiration, it can be used together with Xiguacuiyi ( Pericarpium Citrulli ), Jinyinhua ( Flos Lonicerae), Heye ( Folium Nelumbinis) and others that clear away summer-heat. For summer-heat syndrome with dampness or damp-warm syndrome, fever with unsmooth sweating, dizziness, headache and heavy feelings of body, combined with Hu0xiang (Herba Agastache seu Pogostemonis ), Peilan ( Herba Eupatorii ), Huashi (Talcum) and others that resolve and remove dampness.
3. It is used for malaria with alternating episodes of chills and fever, can prevent recurrence of malaria and can be used alone or combined with Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae), Huashi (Talcum), and Qingdai (Indigo Naturalis), etc. according to syndrome. Arteannuin is now extracted from the herb and prepared into tablet, injection, etc. for being used so as to improve therapeutic effects further.
Usege and Dosage 6 -12 g is used in decoction for oral use. It is not suitable to be decocted for a long time, or the fresh can be pounded into juice for medication.
