Mianyinchen Mostly rolled into masses, greyish-white, or greyish-green, densely covered with white pubescences throughout, soft like a nap. Stems thin and small, 1.5~2.5 cm long, 1~2 mm in diameter, longitudinal striations distinct after removing the white pubescences on the surface; texture fragile, easily broken. Leaves petioled, when whole, 1~3 pinnatipartisect, lamina 1~3 cm long, about 1 cm wide; segments ovoid or slightly oblanceolate, stripe-shaped, apex acute. Odour, delicately aromatic; taste, slightly bitter.

Yinchenhao Stems cylindrical, frequently branched, 30~100 cm long, 2~8 mm in diameter; externally pale purple or purple, striated longitudinally, pubescent; texture light, fragile, fracture almost white. Leaves densely gathered, or mostly fallen off. Basal leaves 2~3 pinnatipartite, segments stripe-shaped or finely stripe-shaped, densely covered with white pubescences on both surfaces; cauline leaves 1~2 pinnatipartisect, amplexicaul at the base, segments filamentous; capitulum ovoid, mostly gathered in conical, 1.2~1.5 m long, 1~1.2 mm in diameter, short petiolet; involucres 3~4 layers, ovoid, bracts 3-lobed; the outer female flowers 6~10, up to 15, the inner bisexual flowers 2~10; achenes oblong, yellowish-brown. Odour, aromatic; taste, slightly bitter.

Infectious icteric hepatitis; sores with exudation and itching.

Clearing away heat, removing dampness and treating jaundice

This drug is used to treat jaundice due to damp-heat. The drug is especially effective in clearing away heat, removing dampness and treating jaundice and is the main drug for jaundice. If the disease is due to damp-heat and manifested by bright yellow body and eye, fever and scanty dark urine, the drug can be used in combination with Fructus Gardeniae, and Radix et Rhizoma Rhei; If the disease is due to cold-dampness and manifested by dark yellow body, poor appetite, stuffy epigastrium, listlessness and aversion to cold, the drug can be used with Radix Aconiti Praeparata, Rhizoma Zingiberis, etc.

Besides, the drug can also be used to treat eczema with itching sensation and discharge of yellow water, and is often used with Radix Sophorae Flavescentis, etc. This drug is used nowadays to treat acute or chronic infectious icterohepatitis, hepatocirrhosis, cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, etc.

It has the effect of normalizing functioning of the gall bladder and therefore can be used with Fructus Mume to treat biliary ascariasis.