Knowledge Base/Herbs/Picrorhiza Rhizome
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清热药（清虚热） · Heat-clearing; deficiency-heat clearing

Picrorhiza Rhizome hú huáng lián · 胡黄连

Picrorhizae Rhizoma (Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennell)

Nature and flavour. Bitter, cold; Liver, Stomach and Large Intestine systems.

Classically described as clearing deficiency heat, clearing the heat of childhood nutritional impairment, and draining damp-heat. A different plant from huáng lián (Coptis); the shared name element reflects a similar bitterness, not a shared source.

性味归经。苦，寒；归肝、胃、大肠经。

传统记载为清虚热、除疳热、清湿热。与黄连来源不同，名称中的相同字取自苦味相近，不代表同物。

Classical category · no formulas, no dosages, no herb-drug combinations are given.
Safety. Bitter and cold — classically avoided in cold-type deficiency of the Spleen and Stomach, and not used long term without a practitioner's supervision. Not enough reliable safety data for pregnancy or breastfeeding — avoid.

苦寒，传统列为脾胃虚寒者不宜；无执业者指导不宜长期服用。孕期与哺乳期安全数据不足，应避免使用。

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Other Heat-clearing; deficiency-heat clearing herbs

3 related entries.

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