Origin: China

Adenophora root is a commonly used Chinese medicinal material, mainly divided into two types: Southern Adenophora root and Northern Adenophora root. Southern Adenophora root is the root of the Campanulaceae plant Adenophora tetraphylla, which has a loose texture and is also called large Adenophora root or hollow Adenophora root. Northern Adenophora root is the dried root of the Umbelliferae plant Glehnia littoralis, which has a firm texture and is also called Northern Striped Ginseng or Thin Striped Ginseng, named for its origin in the sandy coastal areas of the north.

The main efficacies of Adenophora root include:
1. **Nourishing Yin and moistening the lungs**: Adenophora root can replenish lung yin and moisten lung dryness, suitable for symptoms such as dry cough with little phlegm and dry throat caused by yin deficiency and lung dryness or heat damaging lung yin.
2. **Benefiting the stomach and promoting fluid production**: Adenophora root can benefit the stomach and promote fluid production, suitable for symptoms such as stomach yin deficiency, dull abdominal pain, and reduced appetite with dry retching.
3. **Clearing heat and resolving phlegm**: Adenophora root has the effect of clearing lung heat and resolving phlegm, and can be used to treat conditions such as dry cough due to lung heat and thick, difficult-to-expectorate phlegm.
4. **Regulating immunity**: Adenophora root has pharmacological effects such as regulating immune function, anti-tumor, anti-radiation, anti-oxidation, and anti-aging, which can enhance the body's immunity.

Adenophora root is often used in combination with other Chinese medicines such as Ophiopogon japonicus and Polygonatum odoratum to enhance its effects of nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, and benefiting the stomach and promoting fluid production. For example, Adenophora and Ophiopogon Decoction is one of the important prescriptions of the "sweet and cold method to rescue and protect body fluids" in the Traditional Chinese Medicine school of warm diseases, which has the function of clearing and nourishing the lungs and stomach, promoting fluid production, and moistening dryness.