BUPLEURUM FALCATUM and BUPLEURUM OCTORADIATUM

BUPLEURUM FALCATUM and BUPLEURUM OCTORADIATUM.—茈胡 (Tz‘ŭ-hu) or 柴胡 (Ch‘ai-hu), 16. Both species have yellow flowers, go by the same Chinese names, and are not distinguished in the Chinese books. 茈 is said to be an ancient way of writing 柴. The plant is found principally in the northern provinces. Young white shoots, which spring up in the spring and autumn, may be eaten. The old plant is used for fire-wood. The root-stock is the part used in medicine. Its medicinal qualities are considered to be essentially febrifuge, deobstruent, and carminative. It is used in flatulence and indigestion, in colds and coughs, muscular pains and cramps, amenorrhœa, thoracic and abdominal inflammations, puerperal fevers, and in acute diarrhœa.