Four Kinds of Liverworts Called "Di Qian" with Similar Effects
In Chinese folk medicine there are four bryophyte herbs, all named Di Qian (liverwort). They are Shi Di Qian, She Di Qian, Mao Di Qian and Di Qian. These four are all commonly used folk medicines for sores and abscesses, traumatic swelling and pain, and snake and insect bites.
Shi Di Qian is the thallus of Reboulia hemisphaerica (family Aytoniaceae). Because it grows on rocks and resembles Di Qian, it is named Shi Di Qian (rock liverwort); it also has the name Shi Hama (rock toad). Its main effects are to clear heat and detoxify, reduce swelling and stop bleeding. It is indicated for sores and abscesses, burns and scalds, traumatic swelling and pain, and external bleeding. Usually it is decocted for oral use at a common dose of 12-15 g. Dried and ground into powder and applied externally, Shi Di Qian can also be used to stop external bleeding.
She Di Qian is the thallus of Conocephalum species (family Conocephalaceae), such as She Tai and Xiao She Tai. Because its thallus resembles snake skin, it is named She Di Qian (snake liverwort). She Di Qian has an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus. Its main effects are to clear heat and detoxify, reduce swelling and stop pain. It is indicated for well/head abscesses and sores, burns and scalds, venomous snake bites, and bone fractures. She Di Qian stir-fried into charcoal, ground into fine powder and mixed with Vaseline, can also treat infantile eczema; pounded and applied externally it treats snake bites.
Mao Di Qian is the thallus of Marchantia species (family Marchantiaceae). It mostly grows on surfaces of rocks with flowing water or in damp places, distributed mainly in rainy regions such as Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan and Yunnan. Mao Di Qian has many slender rhizoids that look like hairs, hence the name Mao Di Qian (hairy liverwort). TCM holds that Mao Di Qian clears heat, draws out toxin and engenders flesh; it is indicated for heat-toxin sores and abscesses that fail to close for long after ulceration.
Di Qian is the thallus of Marchantia polymorpha L. (family Marchantiaceae), distributed throughout the country, mostly in shady damp places. TCM holds that it clears heat and drains dampness, detoxifies and astringes sores, very similar to Mao Di Qian, and can be used to clear heat, draw out toxin and engender flesh. The National Chinese Herbal Medicine Compilation records Di Qian as: "Detoxifies, dispels stasis, engenders flesh. External use for burns and scalds, fractures, venomous snake bites, sores and abscesses, chronic lower-leg ulcers, and tinea." Di Qian can also be used to treat icteric hepatitis and pulmonary tuberculosis; a single dose of 9-15 g decocted in water is sufficient.