Viola japonica. V. yedoensis.  紫 花 地 丁 Zǐ huā dì dīng- "Purple flower earth spike"   Yedeon's Violet  Family: Violaceae 
PART USED: Whole herb- harvested in Spring or Autumn, either when the flowers are blooming or the fruit has ripened.
Nature: Cold    FLAVOR: Bitter, Slightly bitter, pungent, acrid   CHANNEL: Heart, Liver
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Clearing Internal Heat- Neutralizing Toxins
1. Clears Heat and relieves Fire toxicity.[4] Reduces inflammation.[1] Detoxifies.[1] Heals swelling.[1,2,3]
2. Cools the Blood and alleviates pain.[1] Clears Hot sores- taken internally and topically (usually fresh).[4]
ACTIONS
INDICATIONS
1. Boils, ulcers and abscesses.[1] Tinea, carbuncle, skin eruptions, erysipelas, cellulitis. Particularly on head and back area- Yang part of body.[3,4]
2. Acute conjunctivitis,[1,4] laryngitis,[1] acute jaundice,[1] hepatitis.[1] Jaundice. Painful throat and ears.[4] Mumps.[4]
3. Poisoning due to Duan chang cao (Gou wen)- Gelsemium elegans.[1] Poisonous snake bite.
4. Wind Heat.[3]
5. Urinary infections.
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Deficient Cold.[4]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
- First stage of furuncle or carbuncle (not yet suppurated): Clears Heat and resolves Toxicity, cools the Blood and reduces swelling Lonicera & Dandelion- Wu wei xiao du yin.
- 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, whole plant 15-30 g.[1,2] 9-15 g,[4] using as a single herb 30-60 g.[3] Good quality is yellow green and intact.

HABITAT: Found growing on hillsides or damp places.
DESCRIPTION: Perennial herb. Leaves: clustered, with long petioles, leaves long-ovate, ovate-elliptical or deltoid ovate, apexes obtuse, bases shallowly cordate, margins serrated. Flowers: in spring-summer, purplish-red terminal flowers appear. Fruit: an ellipsoid capsule.
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

Antiinflammatory effects of Viola tricolor gel in a model of sunburn in rats and the gel stability study.
Piana M, Silva MA, Trevisan G, de Brum TF, Silva CR, Boligon AA, Oliveira SM, Zadra M, Hoffmeister C, Rossato MF, Tonello R, Laporta LV, de Freitas RB, Belke BV, Jesus Rda S, Ferreira J, Athayde ML.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
Viola tricolor, popularly known as heartsease has been empirically used in several skin disorders, including burns.
AIM OF THE STUDY:
The objective of this study was investigate the antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effect of a gel containing extract of Viola tricolor flowers on thermal burn induced by UVB irradiation and to perform gel stability study.
METHODS:
The antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effect were evaluated by static and dynamic mechanical allodynia model, paw edema, and neutrophilic cell infiltration. Metabolites compounds were quantified by HPLC. The gel stability study was performed analyzing organoleptical aspects, besides pH, viscosity, and quantification of rutin by HPLC.
RESULTS:
In the results were evidenced changes in threshold in statical and dynamic mechanical allodynia (I(max)=100 ± 10% and 49 ± 10%, respectively), paw edema (I(max)=61 ± 6%), and myeloperoxidase activity (I(max)=89 ± 5%). Such effects may be attributed, in part, to rutin, salicylic and chlorogenic acids, and others compounds found in this species. No important changes were detected in the stability study, in all aspects analyzed in temperature below 25 °C.
CONCLUSION:
These findings suggest that Viola tricolor gel has an antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effect in the ultraviolet-B-induced burn, since maintain the temperature below 25 °C.
PMID: 24008111 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.08.040  J Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Nov 25;150(2):458-65. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.08.040. Epub 2013 Sep 3. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov