Fusiform, with two ends slightly tapering, 1.5-3 cm long, 3-6 mm in diameter. Externally yellowish-white, finely winkled longitudinally. Texture tough, fracture yellowish-white, translucent, stele small. Odour, slightly aromatic; taste, sweetish and bitterish.

Dry cough, phthisical cough; thirst due to impairment of body fluid; fidgetness and insomnia; diabetes caused by internal heat; constipation; diphtheria.

Moistening the lung, clearing away heat from the lung, nourishing the stomach and promoting production of body fluid.

In treating cough from consumptive disease, dry mouth and throat, and dry cough with thick sputum due to exhaustion of Yin in the lung and stomach, the drug is often used in combination with Rhizoma Pinelliae, Radix Condonopsis Pilosulae, etc., or equal amount of the drug and Radix Asparagi are made into soft extract with honey and one or two spoonful of the extract is taken before meals, three times a day. In treating thirst due to exhaustion of body fluid, the drug is often used in combination with Radix Adenophorae Strictae, Radix Rehmanniae, etc.In treating vexation and insomnia due to invasion of heart from febrile disease into the heart, the drug is often used in combination with Cornu Rhinoceri, Radix Rehmanniae, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae, etc.In treating constipation due to dryness of the intestine as a result of deficiency of body fluid, the drug is often used in combination with Radix Rehmanniae and Radix Scrophulariae.