Lygodium japonicum. 金 沙 藤 Jīn shā téng- "Gold sand vine" Japanese climbing Fern   Family: Schizaceae    

PART USED: Whole plant- Harvested in Autumn.
Nature: Cold   FLAVOR: Sweet, pleasant   CHANNEL: Bladder, Small Intestine
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Clearing Internal Heat- Neutralizing Toxins
1. Clears Heat and detoxifies.[1,4] Clear Damp Heat.
2. Promotes diuresis.[1,4] Eases urination.[1]
3. Clears Heat and relieves fire toxicity.[4]
ACTIONS
INDICATIONS
1. Especially useful in upper respiratory tract infections- such as tonsillitis with fever.[3] Colds, high fevers in infants.[1]
2. Damp Heat urinary tract infections,[1,3] especially with stones or blood in the urine.[4] Urinary stone.[1] Nephritic edema.[1] Scanty urine with difficult urination.
3. Painful swollen throat and mumps.[4]
COMBINATIONS
- Fever associated with upper respiratory tract infection and tonsillitis. Use with Isatis tinctoria- Da qing ye.[4]
- Mumps, with Isatistinctoria- Ban lan gen.[4]
- Damp Heat dysuria, with Polygonum aviculare- Bian xu.[4]
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Whole plant 15-30 g.[1] Also applied topically as a wash or compress.
海 金 沙 Hǎi jīn shā- "Sea gold sand" Dry mature spores- Collected from the leaf in Autumn when the spore is mature but not falling.
Nature: Cold   FLAVOR: Sweet, pleasant   CHANNEL: Bladder, Small Intestine
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Clearing Internal Heat- Neutralizing Toxins
- Less cooling than the entire plant.
INDICATIONS- Same as whole plant.
1. Especially for hot or stony painful dysuria.[4]
PREPARATIONS: Sporangium 3-9 g.[1,4] Dry ripe spore 6-15 g.[2] 15-60 g.[3,4] They should be placed in a cheesecloth bag before decocting.
Spores do not fall off when tapping vine leaves, and need to be rubbed to remove the spores. Good quality is dry, yellow-brownish, light and smooth, able to float in water, no impurity, sound can be heard when it is fired.

HABITAT: Found growing wild in shrub thickets on hillsides and along roadsides.
DESCRIPTION: Lygodium is a perennial climbing herb. Stem; slender and long, frequently entwining other object. Leaves; coriaceous, alternate, 2-3 times pinnately compound, leaflets alternate, in deltoid arrangement. Flowers; in late summer. Sori; appear on underside of leaflet apexes, in spike arrangement, sori ovate, sporangium golden-yellow.
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.