Rhizome of Coptis chinensis Mostly gathered to a cluster, curved, like “chicken’s feet”, single rhizome 3~6 cm long, 0.3~0.8 cm in diameter. Externally grayish-yellow or yellowish-brown, rough, bearing irregular nodular protrudings rootlets and remains of rootlets, some internodes smooth as stem. The upper part mostly remained with brown scale leaves, apex often bearing remains of stems or petioles. Texture hard, fracture uneven, bark orange-red or dark brown, wood brightly yellow or orange-yellow, radially arranged, pith sometimes hollowed. Odour, slight; taste, very bitter.

Rhizome of Coptis deltoidea Mostly single, somewhat cylindrical, slightly curved, 4~8 cm long, 0.5~1 cm in diameter. Internodes smooth and relatively long. Apex with some remains of stems.

Rhizome of Coptis teeta Curved hook-like, mostly single, relatively small.

Rhizoma Coptidis(processed with wine) To remove fire from the upper part of the body.

Rhizoma Coptidis(processed with ginger) To remove fire from the stomach, regulate the stomach function and relieve vomiting.

Rhizoma Coptidis(processed with Fructus Evodiae) To soothe the liver, regulate the stomach function and relieve vomiting.

Attack of damp-heat manifested by stuffiness and fullness sensation in the abdomen, vomiting and acid regurgitation, or causing acute dysentery of jaundice; high fever accompanied by impairment of consciousness; fidgetiness and insomnia due to exuberant fire; spitting of blood and epistaxis caused by heat in the blood; inflammation of the eye; toothache; diabetes; carbuncles and sores; external use for eczema and other skin discases with exudation; purulent discharge from the car.

Rhizoma Coptidis(processed with wine) Inflammation of the eye; ulcers in the mouth.

Rhizoma Coptidis(processed with ginger) Stuffiness and fullness sensation in the abdomen with nausea and vomiting caused by damp-heat in combination with cold.

Rhizoma Coptidis(processed with Fructus Evodiae) Nausea, vomiting and acid regurgitation in disharmony of the liver and the stomach.

1. Clearing away heat and eliminating dampness.

Coptis root is used in the treatment of vomitting, diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhoid and other symptoms caused by damp-heat in the intestine and stomach. This medicine may be used alone or with others.

2. Clearing away heart-fire to relieve fidget.

This herb is used in the treatment of symptoms caused by excessive heart-fire, such as restlessness and sleeplessness and syndrome of heart-heat during the course of febrile diseases, manifested as coma and delirium. It is usually the key medicine in relieving the above- mentioned symptoms.

3. Purging pathogenic fire and lessening virulence of any pathogenic organism.

This herb is also used in the treatment of large carbuncles due to fire-toxin, swelling and pains of the ears or eyes as well as canker sores. It can be used either alone or together with other materia medica, either orally or externally.

Generally, the raw herb is more efficacious in clearing away heart-fire and small intestine-fire; evodiaed coptis root is more efficacious in clearing away liver-fire and gallbladder-fire; the liquored coptis root is more efficacious in clearing away the fire of the upper-jiao; and the gingered coptis root is more efficacious in the treatment of vomiting and nausea due to stomach-fire.