Table 2 The classic prescriptions contained D. superbus

Bazheng Powder

Dianthi herba (5 g), Polygoni avicularis herba (5 g), Plantaginis semen (5 g), Gardeniae fructus (5 g), Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma (5 g), Rhei radix et rhizoma (5 g), talcum powder (10 g)

Treating dysuria, and stranguria ( difficulty in urination) due to hematuria

Clearing damp-heat

Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang (Song Dynasty, A.D. 1151)

Dianthi herba (10 g), Plantaginis semen (10 g), Polygoni avicularis herba (10 g), Akebiae caulis. (10 g)

Treating cystitis, urethritis, acute prostatitis, urolithiasis and pyelonephritis

Clearing damp-heat

TWelfare Pharmacy (Song Dynasty, A.D. 1078–1085)

Lixiao Powder

Dianthi herba (30 g), Gardeniae fructus (15 g), Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma (22 g)

Clearing heat-fire, and promoting diuresis for stranguria

Alleviate diuresis

Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang (Song Dynasty, A.D. 1151)

Gualouqumai Pills

Dianthi herba (3 g), Trichosanthis Fructus (6 g), Poria (6 g), Dioscoreae rhizoma (6 g), Aconiti lateralis radix praeparata (5 g)

Treating dysuria, edema and polydipsia

Warming yang in diuresis

Jinkui Yaolue Fanglun (Han Dynasty, A.D. 219)

Qumai Decoction

Dianthi herba (30 g), Alismatis rhizoma (45 g), talcum powder (45 g), Stephaniae tetrandrae radix (23 g), Scutellariae radix (7.5 g), Rhei radix et rhizoma (7.5 g), Mantidis Oötheca (40 pieces)

Treating polydipsia, weight loss, dysuria and edema

Treating retentionofurine

Waitai Miyao (Tang Dynasty, A.D. 752)

Dianthi herba (45 g), Scutellariae radix (30 g), S. japonica (30 g), Angelicae sinensis radix (23 g),Paeoniae radix alba (23 g), Akebiae caulis (45 g), Poria (23 g), talcum powder (23 g)

Treating stranguria due to the disturbance of dysuria

Treating retentionofurine

Shengji Zonglu (Song Dynasty, A.D. 1111–1117)

Qumai Pills

Dianthi herba (15 g), Ginseng radix et rhizoma (15 g), Rhei radix et rhizoma (15 g),Angelicae sinensis radix (15 g),Paeoniae radix alba(15 g), Cinnamomi cortex (15 g), Poria (15 g), D. nemorosa (23 g)

Treating peripheral edema, and congestive heart failure

Promoting blood circulation

Jifeng Pujifang (Song Dynasty, A.D. 960–1279)

Qumai Powder

Dianthi herba (30 g), Astragali radix (30 g), Asari radix et rhizoma (30 g), Paeoniae radix alba (30 g), Coicis semen (30 g), Chuanxiong rhizoma (30 g), Vignae semen (30 g)

Treatment of dysuria

Expelling abscess and dredging channels and collaterals

Liujuan Zigui Yifang (Qi Dynasty, A.D. 495–499)

Digeda-4 Decoction

Dianthi herba (1.25 g), L. rotatum (1.25 g), N. scrophulariiflora (1.25 g), Gardeniae fructus (1.25 g)

Cooling blood, curing sore throat, thirsty and agitated, eliminating heat in the liver and gallbladder

Clearing blood heat

Gan Lu Si Bu (Qi Dynasty, A.D. 1704–1788)

Sijinqumai Pill

Dianthi herba (10 g), Lysimachiae herba (20 g), L. japonicum (20 g), Curcuma rcenyujin (10 g), Galli gigerii endothelium corneum (5 g)

Alleviate ureteral calculi

Clearing heat and diuresis

Lin Zhen Zhi Yan (Dong. J.H. 1986)

Shi Wei Powder

Dianthi herba (30 g), P. lingua (60 g), Plantaginis semen (90 g), M. verticillata (60 g)

Treating gonorrhea, adverse urination, and stabbing pain when drowning

Clearing blood heat

Zheng Zhi Hui Bu (Qi Dynasty, A.D. 1687)