Hedyotis diffusa from which the Chinese herb Bai Hua She She Cao is obtained is also known as white flower snake-tongue grass or snake needle grass and can be found in China, Japan, India, Thailand and Nepal.
It is sometimes combined with other herbs to make hot drinks like Lohoguo of Guongsei or Luohanguo Pearl and Sheshecao Beverage
It has a vine-like appearance and forked leaves that resemble the tongue of a snake. It can be used fresh, but is typically dried and typically used alongside other herbs like Scutellaria barbata perhaps better known as Skullcap.
Traditional Uses for Bai Hua She She Cao:-
The name gives a clue for what this herb was once used for in China, to ameliorate the effects of snake bite and, one presumes, any venom. It is not used in our modern enlightned times for such purposes today having reached its height of popularity in China in the 1940’s.
Today it is a relatively obscure and difficult to find herb in the West but is used as an effective sedative, anti bacterial and anti inflammatory herb.
Bai Hua She She Cao is an alterative, anodyne, tonic, depurative, diuretic, febrifuge, and sedative in addition and is usually drunk as an infusion or tea before and agfter meals.
