Family

Acanthaceae

Genus

Baphicacanthus

Common Name

Ban Lan

Plant Figure

Description

Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Bremek is an herb widely used for the clinical treatment of colds, fever, and influenza in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Indigo Naturalis is the leaf and stem extract of B. cusia, whose commercial name is “Qingdai”, and B. cusia Rhizome et Radix is derived from its root, with the commercial name of “Nanbanlangen”. Previous studies have shown that Qingdai as an active ingredient was used to treat dental ulcers, ulcerative colitis, and psoriasis, and that Nanbanlangen has amany pharmacological applications, including antibacterial, antivirus, and anti-inflammatory effects.