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Taste: Acrid, Neutral; Toxic.
Indications: Mainly treats chills and fever in Shanghan (Cold Damage), hardness beneath the heart, chest distension with cough and rebellious Qi, dizziness, sore throat and swelling, intestinal borborygmus, descending Qi, and stopping sweating.

Chen Xiuyuan stated: Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) has a neutral nature, inheriting the dryness of the Autumn Metal Qi, thus entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian; its taste is acrid and toxic, deriving from the harsh flavor of the West, thus entering the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian and Hand-Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian. The acridity can open various accumulations, while neutrality can descend various rebellious Qi. Chills and fever in Shanghan, and hardness beneath the heart, indicate pathogenic factors accumulating between the exterior and interior; it is used because its acridity can resolve accumulation. Chest distension, cough with rebellious Qi, sore throat and swelling, dizziness, and upward rushing Qi indicate pathogenic factors rebelling above the vertex and chest/diaphragm; it is used because its neutrality can descend rebellion. Borborygmus occurs when the Large Intestine is affected by dampness, causing severe pain and gurgling sounds in the intestines; it is used because its acrid and neutral nature can dry dampness. It is also said to stop sweating, highlighting its function of being slightly astringent within its acridity. Zhang Zhongjing uses it in Xiaochaihu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) to treat chills and fever, in Xiexin Tang (Drain the Epigastrium Decoction) to treat chest fullness and intestinal borborygmus, in Shaoyin sore throat formulas, and in Jinkui Yaolue (Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet) for dizziness. Furthermore, it is invariably added when there is vomiting, fully grasping the principle of resolving accumulation and descending rebellion. Adhering strictly to the Benjing (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) in medication usage is why he is revered as the Sage of Medicine.

He further stated: Modern practitioners believe Banxia's primary function is specifically to resolve phlegm, generally boiling it with Mingfan (Alumen). Patients often experience vomiting, acid reflux, and loss of appetite due to this processing method, which is a陋 (vulgar/defective) practice inherited over time. Ancients only washed it seven times with water to remove saliva/phlegm. Modern people fear its numbing effect on the mouth and dare not follow this. I purchase dozens of jin of dried Banxia annually, wash off the coarse skin, soak it in fresh ginger juice and licorice water for one day and night, rinse clean, then soak in river water for three days, changing the water daily. After filtering, steaming until cooked, drying, and slicing, it is used after one year, yielding excellent results. This herb is a major medicine for the Taiyin, Yangming, and Shaoyang meridians; resolving phlegm is not its exclusive specialty. Therefore, in Zhang Zhongjing's formula modifications, it is stated that "add Banxia for vomiting" and "add Fuling (Poria) for excessive phlegm"; it is unheard of to add Banxia for excessive phlegm.