Table 1 Composition and effects of herbs in the Lishui Xiaogu cataplasm
Ingredient | Pharmacological effects according to traditional Chinese medicine |
|---|---|
Qianniuzi | Purging water and relieving constipation, clearing away phlegm and expelling water, killing worms, and resolving accumulation |
Cheqianzi | Clearing heat, diuresis and treating stranguria, dispelling dampness to stop diarrhea, improving vision, and dispelling phlegm |
Dahuang | Contributing to defecation to resolve accumulation, clearing heat and purging fire, cooling blood to remove toxins, removing blood stasis and promoting menstruation, dispersing dampness, and eliminating jaundice |
Yiyiren | Eliminating dampness and disinhibiting water, strengthening the spleen to stop diarrhea, removing obstruction, expelling pus, detoxicating, and resolving stasis |
Muxiang | Regulating qi to stop pain, and invigorating the spleen to promote digestion |
Gansui | Removing retained water and morbid fluid, subduing swelling, and dissipating bind |