🌿 Folk Prescriptions

The region around Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, was part of the ancient state of Yue during the Spring and Autumn Period. King Goujian of Yue was captured by King Fuchai of Wu and endured humiliation, feigning obedience to gain his release. Upon returning to Yue, he vowed to rebuild the nation. Legend says that in his first year back, Yue faced a rare famine, leaving people with no food. To share hardship with his people, Goujian personally searched mountains and valleys for edible wild greens. After tasting poisonous plants three times, he finally discovered a safe, abundant wild plant that regrew quickly after being cut. The entire kingdom relied on this small green to survive the crisis. Because of its fish-like odor, Goujian named it Fish Mint.
Fish Mint is also known as Side Ear Root, Pig's Nose Hole, etc. Cold-mixed side ear root is a traditional folk dish. As a medicinal herb, Fish Mint clears heat and detoxifies, eliminates abscesses and discharges pus, promotes urination and relieves dysuria. It has wide applications in traditional Chinese medicine. Often combined with Lu Gen, Jiegeng, Gualou for lung abscess with purulent sputum (equivalent to modern pulmonary abscess), phlegm-heat asthma and cough. For heat-toxic sores and ulcers, it is often paired with Yejuhua, Pugongying, Jin Yin Hua, or used alone as fresh juice applied externally. For skin itching, insect bites, carbuncles, redness, swelling, and pain, it can be prepared into a topical lotion and applied directly (as mentioned in the "Chinese Pharmacopeia Complete"). For bladder damp-heat causing painful, difficult urination, it is commonly used with Cheqianzi, Bai Maogen, Hai Jinsha. It can also be used alone to treat heat dysuria, leukorrhea, and white discharge. For large intestine damp-heat causing diarrhea and dysentery, it is often combined with Huanglian, Huangbai, Bai Touweng, or paired with Shan Zha Tan to treat heat dysentery (equivalent to bacterial dysentery in modern medicine).
Modern pharmacological studies show that Fish Mint possesses antibacterial, antiviral, immune-enhancing, and diuretic effects. Clinical reports indicate its extensive use in treating pneumonia, hemoptysis, upper respiratory infections, chronic bronchitis, whooping cough, influenza, pulmonary abscess, malignant pleural effusion, fever from colds, lung cancer, cervical erosion, suppurative arthritis, habitual constipation, acute bacillary dysentery, acute icteric hepatitis, nephrotic syndrome, herpes simplex keratitis, rhinitis, suppurative otitis media, mumps, papular urticaria, chronic pharyngitis, hemorrhoids, prostatitis, lupus erythematosus, hemangioma, and prevention of leptospirosis.
Common patent medicines containing Fish Mint include Fish Mint Injection, which clears heat, detoxifies, and resolves dampness, used for pulmonary abscess, phlegm-heat cough, leukorrhea, urinary tract infection, boils, etc. Another example is Compound Fish Mint Tablets (containing Fish Mint, Huangqin, Banlangen, Lianqiao), which clears heat and detoxifies, used for sore throat and tonsillitis due to external wind-heat invasion.
Adverse reactions to Fish Mint preparations are rare.
Simple home remedies using Fish Mint:
☆ Treating pulmonary abscess: 30g Fish Mint, 15g Jiegeng. Decoct and drink, or grind into powder and take with water.
☆ Treating dysentery: 20g Fish Mint, 6g Shan Zha Tan. Decoct and add honey before drinking.
☆ Treating mumps: Fresh Fish Mint as needed, crush and apply externally to affected area, secure with tape, twice daily.
☆ Treating habitual constipation: 5–10g Fish Mint, steep in boiled water for 10–12 minutes, drink as tea. Discontinue other medications during treatment; one course lasts 10 days.
☆ Treating acute icteric hepatitis: 180g Fish Mint, 30g rock sugar. Decoct and drink one dose daily, continue for 5–10 doses.
☆ Treating nephrotic syndrome: 100–150g dried Fish Mint, steep in 1000ml boiling water for half an hour, drink as tea, one dose daily; one course lasts 3 months, with 2–3 day breaks between courses.
☆ Treating cold-induced fever: 20g Xiye Xiangchajie, 16g Fish Mint. Decoct and drink, or grind into fine powder, decoct, filter, concentrate, mix with powder, press into tablets (0.3g each). Take 3–4 tablets three times daily (reduce dosage for children).