☯ TCM Properties
Traditional Chinese Uses
Di Dan Tou (Ku Di Dan), the whole plant of Elephantopus scaber, is a bitter, cold heat-clearing and detoxifying herb entering the Lung, Liver and, in some sources, Kidney and Stomach channels. It clears Heat and resolves toxicity, cools the Blood, drains Dampness and promotes urination, and reduces swelling.
It is used for wind-heat and summer-heat febrile complaints, sore swollen throat and mouth sores, damp-heat jaundice and hepatitis, edema and nephritis, painful stony urinary dribbling, and dysentery, and topically for sores, boils, snakebite and swellings. In southern China and Southeast Asia the fresh plant is commonly simmered in cooling summer soups. It is decocted, with larger doses of the fresh herb, and used with care in Cold or deficiency patterns.
Botanical Description
Di Dan Tou (地膽頭) is a Pinyin name that translates as 'earth-gallbladder head.' The name does not correspond to any standardized entry in Bensky & Gamble, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, or other mainstream TCM materia medica with a clear single Linnaean identity, although it may be a regional folk variant of Di Dan Cao (地膽草), which refers to Elephantopus scaber L. (Asteraceae) and is used in southern China for heat-clearing and detoxification. Because the precise referent of 'Di Dan Tou' cannot be confirmed with confidence, all substantive fields except tradition are left null. The entry is flagged for further research; verified identification is needed before assigning parts, properties, or plant type.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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