Ban Zhi Lian半枝莲

Herba Scutellariae BarbataeBearded Scutellaria

Also known asBarbat Skullcap · Barbed Skullcap Root

Usual doses

Clears Heat, resolves Fire toxins, invigorates the Blood and reduces swellings: Furuncles, sores and abscesses (Chuang Yung), appendicitis, pulmonary abscess
Snakebite
Swellings due to trauma
Treats various types of cancer and hepatitis: Cancer and hepatitis
Promotes urination and reduces edema: Edema due to Damp-Heat
Ascites from cirrhosis
Mildly dispels Blood Stasis and stops bleeding: Bleeding from trauma, hematemesis, epistaxis, and painful bloody urinary dysfunction

Some sources classify this herb under Anti-Cancer herbs.
It is most often used for toxic sore throat and for cancers.
It cools Heat, resolves toxicity, expels Wind, disperses Blood, moves Qi, promotes urination, unblocks the collaterals, breaks up Stasis and relieves pain; internally it treats Blood Lin syndrome, hematemesis and epistaxis, while topically it addresses venomous snakebite, boils, abscesses, deep-set noxious sores and toxic swellings.
Ban Zhi Lian and Hb. Andrographitis Chuan Xin Lian both clear Heat, resolve toxicity, reduce swelling and relieve pain. Ban Zhi Lian, acrid, bitter and cold, is more effective at eliminating Stagnation and reducing swelling and pain, and is used for Lung, Stomach and Intestinal abscesses (including cancers) and for Blood Stasis from trauma. Chuan Xin Lian, bitter and cold, is more effective at clearing Heat and resolving toxicity, also cools Blood Heat and reduces swelling, and is considerably more bitter than Ban Zhi Lian.
It is among the most frequently used anti-cancer herbs.
It is used for esophageal, Stomach and uterine cancer.
The juice is applied topically.