Snake Tongue Herb, also known as White Flower Snake Tongue Herb, is usually boiled for about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the doctor’s prescription.
White-flower Snake Tongue Herb is a kind of Chinese herbal medicine, its taste is sweet, light, cool in nature, and its effects can clear away heat and detoxify, diuretic and eliminate swelling, and activate blood circulation and relieve pain.
Clinically, it is used for intestinal carbuncles (carbuncles occurring in the bowels of the intestines, manifested by fever, pain in the right abdomen, and palpable lumps), sores, boils, swelling and venom (generalized skin diseases on the surface of the body, most of which are caused by internal invasion of poisonous evils, and the burning of the blood by evil heat, resulting in stagnation of the blood and qi), jaundice due to dampness-heat and urinary incontinence (unruly urine), etc. It is also used to relieve pain in the blood and the urine.
The adverse effects of Huperzia serrata are not known; it is contraindicated in pregnant women, and should not be used in patients with yin gangrene (a general term for a group of slow-acting negative sores and ulcers). The usual method of decoction is to simmer the herb for about 20-30 minutes.
Patients are advised to seek prompt medical attention if they feel unwell. When treating with medication, it is important to be guided by a Chinese medicine practitioner to identify the symptoms and not to use medication arbitrarily to avoid adverse consequences.