Isatis  tinctoria. I. indigota, Baphicacanthes cusia : 板 藍 Bǎn lán   Dyer's woad  Family: Cruciferae      
A blue dying powder is also extracted from Persicaria tinctoria and Indigofera tinctora
板 藍 根   Bǎn lán gēn  Isatis dried root- harvested in early Winter after first frost    
Bǎn lán gēn also describes Strobilanthes flaccidifolius which has similar properties of reducing fevers.
Nature: Cold   FLAVOR: Bitter  CHANNEL: Heart, Stomach, Lung.
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Clearing Internal Heat- Neutralizing Toxins
1. Clear Heat, remove toxins.[4]
2. Removing Heat from the Blood.[4]
3. Relieving sore throat.[4]
ACTIONS
INDICATIONS
1. Epidemic febrile diseases,[4] at an early stage, with fever, thirst and headache or craniofacial infection characterized by swollen head and flushed swollen face, or throat infections with scarlet fever. Warm febrile diseases.[4]
2. Affection by pathogenic Wind Heat.
3. Influenza. Painful swollen throat conditions.[4]
4. Damp Heat jaundice.[4] Macula, epidemic encephalitis, hepatitis B. Mumps:[3] Fever, swollen neck glands, sore throat. Meningitis.[3] Acute infectious hepatitis-[3] In infectious stage.
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Patents who are weak, or in the absence of a Fire Toxin.[4]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction dried root 8-15 g.[1,2] 9-30 g.[3] Good quality is long, thick, and solid.

Isatis tinctoria, I. indigotica, Bathicacanthus cusia  大 青 叶 Dà qīng yè- "Big green leaf"   Dried leaf - harvested in Summer and Autumn.       
Nature: Very Cold, extremely Cold  FLAVOR: Bitter, salted  CHANNEL: Heart. Stomach, Lung
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Clearing Internal Heat- Neutralizing Toxins
1. Clearing Heat, remove toxins.[4]
2. Removing pathogenic Heat from the Blood, and curing skin eruptions and blotches.[4]
ACTIONS
INDICATIONS
1. Epidemic febrile diseases with invasion of the Blood by Heat:[3,4] manifested as high fever,[4] restlessness,[4] maculas and eruptions, unconsciousness,[4] delirium. Carbuncle. Measles. Mumps,[3] epidemic encephalomyelitis, encephalitis, bacterial meningitis.[3]
2. Contagious febrile disease or epidemic toxin that effects people, regardless of their constitution.[3] May be used for Fire Toxin anywhere in the body, especially in the throat or Lungs.[3]
2. Invasion by exopathogenic Wind Heat, or epidemic febrile diseases at the early stage, manifested as fever, headache and thirst. Common cold, sore throat, pneumonia.[3]
3. Skin eruptions due to Heat in the Blood:[4] Erysipelas, canker sores, and swollen and sore throat due to exuberant toxic Heat in the Blood.
4. Severe symptoms of hepatitis:[3] Subcutaneous bleeding, high temperature, unconsciousness.
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Do not overuse.[3]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
- Febrile illness due to exterior Wind Heat or Heat and Toxicity: Clear Heat and resolves Toxicity, releases exterior Wind-Heat Isatis & Forsythia- Xiao er tui re chong ji.
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS:  Decoction.  Dried leaf  8-15 g.[1,2,3] 9-30 g.[4] Good quality has large leaves that are dark gray-green (Isatis), very dark green leaves (Bathicacanthus).
    
Isatis tinctoria, Bathicacanthus cusia  青 黛 Qīng dài   Refined powder of leaf     
The leaves are harvested in autumn and immersed into water to decompose, taken out the rotten leaves before added to a defined amount of lime milk, fully stirred immersion, and when the color of immersion changed from black green to deep red, taken out liquid foam and dried in the sun. Then, finely grinded into powder.
Nature- cold   FLAVOR: Salted
FUNCTIONS
1. Clear heat, counteract toxic effects, cool blood.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Fever in a warm disease, macula, discharge of blood from mouth, mastitis, mouth canker.[1]
2. Eczema, erysipelas.
PREPARATIONS:  Refined powder of leaf 1-3 g.[1]
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

Identification and isolation of the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitory principle in Isatis tinctoria.
Danz H, Stoyanova S, Wippich P, Brattström A, Hamburger M.
Abstract
Various extracts prepared from the traditional dye and medicinal plant Isatis tinctoria L. were submitted to a broad in vitro screening against 16 anti-inflammatory targets. Dichloromethane (DCM) extracts from dried leaves showed a marked cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitory activity with a preferential effect on COX-2 catalysed prostaglandin synthesis. A supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) procedure employing CO2-modifier mixtures was developed by which the bioactivity profile and chromatographic fingerprint of the DCM extract could be reproduced. High-resolution activity directed on-line identification of the COX-2 inhibitory principle, using a combination of LC-DAD-MS with a microtitre-based bioassay, led to the identification of tryptanthrin (1) as the constituent responsible for essentially all COX-2 inhibitory activity in the crude extract. Following on-line identification, 1 was isolated at preparative scale and its structure confirmed by comparison with synthetic tryptanthrin. In an assay with lipopolysaccharide stimulated Mono Mac 6 cells, tryptanthrin (1) was of comparable potency (IC50 = 64 nM) than the preferential COX-2 inhibitors nimesulide (IC50 = 39 nM) and NS 398 (IC50 = 2 nM). The SFE extract and 1 showed no cytotoxicity in Mono Mac 6 and RAW 264.7 cells when tested at 100 microg/ml and 10 microM, respectively.
PMID: 11488453 DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-15805 Planta Med. 2001 Jul;67(5):411-6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The content of indigo precursors in Isatis tinctoria leaves--a comparative study of selected accessions and post-harvest treatments.
Oberthür C, Graf H, Hamburger M.
Abstract
We recently clarified the nature of indigo precursors in woad (Isatis tinctoria L.), by identifying the major indoxyl glycoside as isatan A (indoxyl-3-O-(6'-O-malonyl-beta-D-ribohexo-3-ulopyranoside)), and by correcting the structure of the related isatan B (indoxyl-3-O-beta-D-ribohexo-3-ulopyranoside). A quantitative densitometric assay for isatans A and B, and indican, was established and validated. HPTLC separation on silica gel was followed by densitometric analysis of indigoid pigments formed after treatment with dilute acid or base. The seasonal variation of indoxyl glycosides in woad leaves was investigated with first-year plants (rosette stage) of five defined I. tinctoria L. and one I. indigotica L. accessions. Isatan A content reached up to 7.6% of dry weight in I. tinctoria, and up to 21.8% in I. indigotica. The influence of various post-harvest treatments was studied. High concentrations of isatans A and B were found in freeze-dried leaf samples, whereas the content of indican was lowest. Conventional drying at ambient or 40 degrees C led to complete disappearance of isatans A and B. The concentration of indican, in contrast, was 3- to 5-fold higher in leaf samples submitted to drying at ambient and 40 degrees C, respectively.
PMID: 15561192 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2004.10.014 Phytochemistry. 2004 Dec;65(24):3261-8. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Anti-arthritic activity of a lipophilic woad (Isatis tinctoria) extract.
Recio MC, Cerdá-Nicolás M, Hamburger M, Ríos JL.
Abstract
A dichloromethane extract of Isatis tinctoria was tested in the adjuvant-induced arthritis model in rats. The extract (150 mg/kg p. o.) leads to a significant reduction of paw oedema. Radiographic, histological and clinical assessment confirmed reduced damage of cartilage and signs of inflammatory response in comparison to untreated control. No significant differences were observed in the tissular levels of cyclooxygenases 1 and -2, and of inducible nitric oxide synthase in Isatis treated and untreated animals. High dose treatment with Isatis extract for two weeks did not result in macroscopic lesions of the gastric mucosa.
PMID: 16739068 DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-941507 Planta Med. 2006 Jun;72(8):715-20. Epub 2006 May 31. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The leaf volatile constituents of Isatis tinctoria by Solid-Phase Microextraction and Gas chromatography/Mass Spectrometry.
Condurso C, Verzera A, Romeo V, Ziino M, Trozzi A, Ragusa S.
Abstract
The leaf volatile constituents of Isatis tinctoria L. (Brassicaceae) have been studied by Solid-Phase Microextraction and Gas chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS). Seventy components were fully characterized by mass spectra, linear retention indices, and injection of standards; the average composition (ppm) as single components and classes of substances is reported. Aliphatic hydrocarbons, acids, alcohols, aldehydes and esters, aromatic aldehydes, esters and ethers, furans, isothiocyanates and thiocyanates, sulfurated compounds, nitriles, terpenes and sesquiterpenes were identified. Leaf volatiles in Isatis tinctoria L. were characterized by a high amount of isothiocyanates which accounted for about 40 % of the total volatile fraction. Isothiocyanates are important and characteristic flavour compounds in Brassica vegetables and the cancer chemo-protective attributes are recently responsible for their growing interest.
PMID: 16972198 DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-946679 Planta Med. 2006 Aug;72(10):924-8. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov