Veronicastrum brunonianum (Benth.) Hong
Aliases：Hēi Shēng Má (literally "Black Cimicifuga" — note: this name is also used for another herb, Cimicifuga racemosa), Gāo Shān Sì Fāng Má (literally "Alpine Four‑Cornered Hemp" / "Alpine Square Hemp"), Ké Yào (literally "Cough Medicine"), Yè Xià Hóng (literally "Red Beneath the Leaves"), Xiǎo Hán Yào (literally "Little Cold Medicine"), and Fǎn Bèi Hóng (literally "Red Reverse Back"). (These are all alternative names for Měi Suì Cǎo, i.e., the rhizome of Veronicastrum brunonianum / Meisui Herb.)
Měi Suì Cǎo (Meisui Herb) is a traditional Chinese medicinal material. It is the rhizome of Veronicastrum brunonianum (Benth.) Hong, a plant belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae. It grows in valleys, on shaded grassy slopes, and under forests at altitudes of 1,500–3,000 meters.
Efficacy & Actions
Clears heat, removes toxicity, resolves phlegm, and relieves cough.
Indications
Cough with yellow sputum, sore and swollen throat, dysentery with bloody and purulent discharge, strangury with dribbling urination, and carbuncles, swellings, and toxic sores.
Modern Pharmacology
The Xinhua Bencao Gangyao (New Compendium of Materia Medica) records that its rhizome possesses anti‑inflammatory, antibacterial, detoxifying, and swelling‑reducing properties.
Usage & Dosage
For oral administration: decoct in water, 10–15 g. For topical application: take an appropriate amount of the fresh herb, mash, and apply externally.
Medicinal Parts
It is the rhizome of Veronicastrum brunonianum (Benth.) Hong, a plant belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae.
Selection & Storage
Store in a cool, dry place, protected from moisture and insects.
