ban zhi lian

半枝莲·Herba Scutellariae Barbatae

Barbat Skullcap

About ban zhi lian

Ban Zhi Lian (半枝莲) is barbat skullcap, a plant of the mint family, recorded as Herba Scutellariae Barbatae. It is acrid and slightly bitter in flavour, cool, and enters the Liver, Lung and Stomach channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that clear Heat and relieve toxicity. The record notes a modern Chinese use in cancer care and states plainly that it is not a treatment for cancer.

Names

Pinyin	ban zhi lian
Chinese	半枝莲·半枝蓮
Latin Name	Herba Scutellariae Barbatae
English Name	Barbat Skullcap·Bearded Scutellaria·bearded scutellaria; barbat skullcap
Korean	banjiryeon

Classification

Category: Clear Heat, Relieve Toxicity
Channels: Lung, Stomach, Liver
Flavour: Acrid, Slightly Bitter
Temperature: Cool
Family: Labiatae
Species: Scutellaria Barbata
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Clears Heat, resolves Fire toxicity, invigorates Blood and reduces swelling

Boils, abscesses and toxic sores (Chuang Yang)
Appendicitis and lung abscess
Snakebite and insect bites, often with the fresh plant crushed and applied as well as taken by mouth
Swelling from traumatic injury

Used for cancers and liver disease in modern Chinese practice

Various cancers (a modern prescribing practice, not a proven treatment)
Hepatitis
Liver cirrhosis

Promotes urination and reduces edema

Edema from Damp-Heat
Ascites in cirrhosis of the liver

Mildly dispels Blood stasis and stops bleeding

Bleeding from injury, vomiting of blood, or nosebleed
Painful urination with blood in the urine

Combinations

ye ju hua + zi hua di ding
Furuncles.
bie jia + dan shen + bai shao
Liver cancer.
bai hua she she cao + ba yue zha
Digestive tract cancers
ze xie + ban bian lian + yu mi xu
Edema.
zhi zi + huang bai + yin chen hao
Damp-Heat jaundice.
yu xing cao
Lung abscesses.
bai hua she she cao
Cancer.

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 9-30g; Cancers: up to 60g; Tincture: 2-5ml	9-30 g	—	2-5 ml	—	—

Cautions

pregnancy Avoid in pregnancy, since it moves Blood; one source advises caution, the other contraindicates it
caution Blood deficiency: a cold, draining herb does nothing to nourish Blood
caution Deficiency Cold of the Spleen and Stomach, with poor appetite and loose stools, especially at large doses
caution Bleeding disorders: its Blood-moving action calls for care (precautionary)
caution Not a cancer treatment: the research is mostly laboratory and animal work, with only two early-phase human safety trials; anyone in cancer care should raise it with their treating team before use, never in place of treatment

Interactions

Drug interactions

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines: because the herb invigorates Blood, care is warranted (a precautionary reading of its traditional action, not a documented interaction)