Elsholtzia splendens. E. haichowensis, Mosla chinensis 香 薷 Xiāng rú   Aromatic madder   Family: Lamiaceae   
PART USED: Above ground- harvested in Summer or Autumn when fruit has ripened.
Nature: Slightly warm   FLAVOR:  Acrid, pungent.  CHANNEL Lung, Stomach
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Exterior Clearing- Warming
1. Clears the exterior.[4]
2. Eliminate Dampness.[1,2,3] Expel Summer Heat.[4] Antipyretic.[3]
3. Promote diuresis and relieve edema.[3,4] Causes Energy to descend.[3]
4. Harmonize middle region.[3] Disperses stress in chest and Heat.[3]
5. Stops vomiting due to external Cold.[3]
INDICATIONS- Used for Summer Heat (Damp Heat).
1. Common Cold in Summer time.[1,2]
2. Externally contracted Summer Damp Heat, with chills and fever, headache without perspiration, or vomiting, body aches, diarrhea and abdominal pain.[1,2,4]
3. For cases of edema and dysuria,[4] expecially when associated with an exterior illness.[4]
4. Cholera.[3]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Exterior Deficiency with sweating.[4] Do not consume as a very hot drink as vomiting may occur.[3,4] Drink at cool temperature or add Scutellaria baicalensis, or Coptis chinensis to reduce this effect.[4] High fever with sweating.[3]
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Dry plant above ground  3-10 g.[1,2,3,4] When used for exterior disorders it is cooked for a short time; when used for edema it must be cooked for a long time and made into a cenentrated decoction.[4] Good quality is young and fragrant with light purple stems, green leaves, and lots of flower spikes.[4]
    

References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research

Anti-inflammatory activity of Elsholtzia splendens.
Kim DW, Son KH, Chang HW, Bae K, Kang SS, Kim HP.
Abstract
Elsholtzia splendens Nakai has been used in North-East Asia as an ingredient of folk medicines for treating cough, headache and inflammation. The present investigation was carried out to establish its in vivo anti-inflammatory activity using several animal models of inflammation and pain. The 75% ethanol extract of the aerial part of E. splendens significantly inhibited mouse croton oil-induced, as well as arachidonic acid-induced, ear edema by oral administration (44.6% inhibition of croton oil-induced edema at 400 mg/kg). This plant material also showed significant inhibitory activity against the mouse ear edema induced by multiple treatment of phorbol ester for 3 days, which is an animal model of subchronic inflammation. In addition, E. splendens exhibited significant analgesic activity against mouse acetic acid-induced writhing (50% inhibition at 400 mg/kg), while indomethacin (5 mg/kg) demonstrated 95% inhibition. E. splendens (5-100 microg/mL) significantly inhibited PGE2 production by pre-induced cyclooxygenase-2 of lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 cells, suggesting that cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition might be one of the cellular mechanisms of anti-inflammation.
PMID: 12723937  Arch Pharm Res. 2003 Mar;26(3):232-6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov