Joint Fir / Ephedra Sinica (ma huang)  麻黃

 Nature: Warm; pungent and slightly bitter; attributive to lungs and bladder.

Characteristics: The stem of a low shrub with small yellow flowers and edible red berries. It is a general herb; one of the best known and most commonly used Chinese herb drugs for treating cold, cough and asthma. It can be used to treat obesity as well for people with a strong constitution.

Therapeutic effects: Induce sweating to expel common cold of wind-cold type; relieve cough and dyspnea; promote diuresis to reduce edema; suppress appetite; open the nasal passage; let out skin eruption and alleviate allergy; release external heat.