Coptis chinensis is a low-growing woodland perennial whose bitter yellow rhizomes have anchored Chinese medicine's heat-clearing arsenal for over two millennia. Prized for its potent alkaloid berberine, huang lian targets damp-heat patterns and microbial infections with an intensity that demands respect and precision in dosing.
rhizome, root
decoction, powder, tincture, capsule
3–9 g dried rhizome daily in decoction; 1–3 g powdered extract daily.
Very bitter and cold. May damage spleen in high doses.
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