Stem bark Quilled singly or double quilled, 30~35 cm long, 2~7 mm thick, commonly known as “Tongpo ”; stem bark near the root with one end spread out like a bell, 13~25 cm long, 3~8 mm thick, commonly known as “Xuetongpo”. Outer surface greyish-brown, rough, sometimes scaly, easily exfoliated, with distinct elliptical lenticels and longitudinal wrinkles, appearing yellowish-brown when the coarse bark peeled; inner surface purplish-brown, relatively smooth, with fine and dense longitudinal striations and exhibiting oily trace on scratching. Texture hard, uneasily broken, fracture granular, greyish-brown in the outer layer and purish-brown or brown in the inner layer, oily, sometimes numerous small bright spots visible. Odour, aromatic; taste, pungent and slightly bitter.

Toot bark (Genpo) Quilled singly or pieced irregularly, some curved like chicken intestines, commonly know as “Jichangpo”. Texture hard, easily broken, fracture fibrous.

Branch bark(Zhipo) Quilled singly, 10~20 cm long, 1~2 mm thick. Texture fragile, easily broken, fracture fibrous.

Accumulation of damp in the spleen and the stomach marked by epigastric stuffiness, vomiting and diarrhea; abdominal distension and constipation due to retention of undigested food; cough and dyspnea caused by retained damp.

1. Tonifying blood and astringing Yin

In treating irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, metrorrhagia, metrostaxis, etc. due to deficiency of blood, the drug is often used in combination with Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong, Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata, etc. In treating exterior syndrome of deficiency with spontaneous sweating and aversion to wind due to invasion of wind-cold, the drug can be used in combination with Ramulus Cinnamomi to regulate the nutrient and defensive systems. The drug can also be sued to treat night sweating.

2. Nourishing the liver and relieving pain

In treating pain of the chest, hypochondrium, stomach, abdomen, etc. due to dysfunction of liver-Qi, the drug is often used in combination with drugs for relieving depressed liver such as Radix Bupleuri, Rhizoma Cyperi, etc. In treating pain of the epigastrium and abdomen and spasm and pain of the limbs, the drug is often used in combination with Rhizoma Coptidis, Radix Scutellariae, Radix Aucklandiae, etc.

3. Nourishing Yin and soothing the liver

In treating headache, dizziness, etc. due to deficiency of liver-Yin and hyperactivity of liver-Yang, the drug is often used in combination with Radix Rehmanniae. Concha Haliotidis, Ramulus Uncariae cum Uncis, Flos Chrysanthemi, etc.