Whole herbsHeat-clearingSelaginellae Doederleinii Herba

Shi Shang Bai (Doederlein's Spikemoss Herb)

A practical guide to Shi Shang Bai: what it is, how Traditional Chinese Medicine uses it, the classical formulas it appears in, and who should be careful with it.

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Last reviewed Oct 29, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin NameSelaginellae Doederleinii Herba
Chinese Name & Pinyin 石上柏 · Shi Shang Bai
Medicinal PartWhole herbs
The itemShi Shang Bai is the dried whole herb of Selaginella doederleinii. Chui Pen Cao is not this herb. It usually goes into decoctions or throat teas.
Nature and channelsCool, bitter, acrid. Enters the Lung and Liver. Cool bitter acrid clears and benefits the throat, reduces swelling, and disperses nodules.
Pharmacopoeia lineClears and benefits the throat, reduces swelling, and disperses nodules. Traditionally used for a red sore swollen throat, early surface sores, tender swollen lymph nodes, and mild local nodules.
Pattern cuesSore throat. Tender lymph nodes. Mild surface sores. Small nodules.
In this articleShi Shang Bai versus Chui Pen Cao. Throat clearing versus draining liver damp-heat. Why hard enlarging lumps need a clinic. Who should skip it.

What Is Shi Shang Bai?

Shi Shang Bai (石上柏; Shí Shàng Bǎi; Latin: Herba Selaginellae Doederleinii; English: Doederlein spikemoss) in the current pharmacopoeia is the dried whole herb of Selaginella doederleinii, an evergreen creeping plant of the spikemoss family, usually used raw. It is cool, bitter, and acrid, enters the Lung and Liver channels, and its core actions are to clear and benefit the throat, and to reduce swelling and disperse nodules. It usually goes into decoctions or light throat teas. The usual amount is 10–15 g, smaller for the throat and larger for swelling. Being light in texture, it needs no special first or late addition.

It is not Chui Pen Cao. That herb is slightly cold, sweet and bland, and leans toward liver-gallbladder damp-heat with jaundice and hypochondriac pain; Shi Shang Bai is cool, bitter and acrid, and leans toward the upper throat and surface lumps. Spleen-stomach deficiency-cold, with frequent abdominal pain and loose stools, is a poor match. Use caution in pregnancy. A lump that is hard and steadily enlarging, or comes with fever and fatigue, needs a clinic first rather than self-brewing.

It is used most often for three patterns:

  • Red, sore, swollen throat with mild dry mouth
  • Early surface sores, red but unbroken, tender swollen lymph nodes
  • Mild breast or thyroid nodules

Cool, bitter, and acrid, it is not a daily “throat cooling” tea to keep brewing. Clearing when there is no heat in the throat can drain spleen-stomach yang and leave the belly cold.

When wind-heat attacks the upper burner, or local heat and qi stagnation swell the throat and surface tissues, a red sore throat and tender lumps are common. Shi Shang Bai is cool, bitter, and acrid. It clears, benefits the throat, and disperses, which is why it appears in Fu Fang Shi Shang Bai Jian (Compound Spikemoss Decoction)–type formulas, often with Jie Geng (Platycodon Root) guiding the action upward. It disperses more than it holds. A spleen and stomach already cold and weak, with no heat to clear, get colder if more is added.

Shi Shang Bai is not a catch-all throat or nodule herb. In spleen-stomach deficiency-cold, with no heat pattern, or in pregnancy, using it alone is a poor match. Raw or sliced, and whether it belongs in a formula, should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Shi Shang Bai

Shi Shang Bai: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Selaginellae Doederleinii Herba

Botanical Origin

The dried whole herb of Selaginella doederleinii Hieron. (Selaginellaceae).

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan.

Quality Requirements

Superior material is green, leafy and complete.

Macroscopic Features

Whole herb about 35 cm long; main stem flat, branched; leaves dense, dimorphic, dorsal leaves ovate-lanceolate, ventral leaves ovate, all green or yellowish-green; spores tetrahedral, borne in terminal strobili; texture brittle; faint odor; bland taste.

Main Regions and Quality Identification

Traditional materia medica and industry experience value the Shi Shang Bai of the moist mountain areas in the south, with the main producing areas in several provinces of southern and eastern China — the climate and soil there suit its growth better — but actual quality also depends on variety, harvest time, processing, and storage. In appearance, good-quality dried Shi Shang Bai is deep green, with flexible stems and branches and fine, complete, dense leaves — no withered-yellow, rotting, or impurities; the odor is faintly fragrant and the taste slightly astringent. The raw is mostly cut segments of the dried herb; because there is no special processing, the processed form differs little from the raw in appearance — it only needs to be kept dry. The common look-alikes are other Selaginella species of the same genus — such as Juan Bai (the "resurrection fern") — whose stems stand upright and whose leaves are more sparsely arranged — distinguish them by the form.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Sweet, Bitter, Astringent; CoolLungLiver

1. Records in Classic Materia Medica

  • Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi: mentions that Shi Shang Bai "clears the throat and eases the diaphragm, resolving various toxins" — usable for sore swollen throats, abscesses, and sores.
  • De Pei Ben Cao: records that it can "treat throat bi (throat blockage) and disperse accumulated lumps" — leaning to clearing the throat and dispersing local lumps.
  • Zhong Hua Ben Cao: also includes Shi Shang Bai, defining its lung and liver channel entries, for sore swollen throats, red swollen eyes, and lung-heat coughs.

2. How Views of Its Nature Changed

Views among physicians differ slightly. Some lean to its throat-clearing action, mostly for the sore swollen throat of external contraction or internal heat; some stress its swelling-reducing, nodule-dispersing action, for local abscesses or nodule-type problems; some note that its nature leans cool — those with spleen-stomach cold deficiency should not use it long-term or in large amounts, to avoid harming the spleen-stomach yang. These differences let Shi Shang Bai fit different clinical scenes — not a single-function drug.

Shi Shang Bai

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Clears heat and resolves toxin, dispels wind-dampness.

1. First Direction: Clearing the Throat

  • Traditional action: clear the throat and disperse the heat evil of the upper burner, easing the red, swollen, painful discomfort of the throat.
  • Typical signs: mostly the sore swollen throat of external wind-heat or vigorous internal heat — with mild dry mouth and a throat foreign-body sensation, or throat discomfort after overusing the voice.
  • Usual combinations: if the sore throat is marked, often paired with Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao, and Jie Geng to strengthen the throat-clearing action; with dry mouth and dryness-heat, Mai Dong and Xuan Shen can be added to nourish yin and moisten dryness.
  • Who should not self-use: those with spleen-stomach cold deficiency — frequent abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fear of cold — should not self-use it alone, to avoid worsening the deficiency-cold symptoms; pregnant and breastfeeding women also need caution, under a physician's guidance.

2. Second Direction: Reducing Swelling and Dispersing Nodules

  • Traditional action: disperse the lumps and swelling-pain on the surface or locally, easing the local swelling caused by heat evil or qi stagnation.
  • Typical signs: such as early surface abscesses (red but unbroken), locally swollen lymph nodes with tenderness, or mild breast nodules and thyroid nodules.
  • Usual combinations: if the local lump comes with qi stagnation, often paired with Xia Ku Cao and Zhe Bei Mu to strengthen the dispersing action; with marked heat toxin, Pu Gong Ying and Zi Hua Di Ding can be added to clear heat and resolve toxins.
  • Who should not self-use: when the lump is hard, keeps growing, or comes with systemic fever and fatigue — do not self-use; seek medical care in time to clarify the cause.

3. Classic Pairing: Shi Shang Bai With Jie Geng

Shi Shang Bai and Jie Geng form a common pair: Jie Geng opens and lifts the lung qi and carries the medicinal force upward, guiding Shi Shang Bai's action to concentrate on the throat area, while Shi Shang Bai clears the heat evil of the throat. The two coordinate with each other, fitting the sore swollen throat and hoarse voice of external wind-heat. This pairing needs the physician's pattern diagnosis — especially for those with spleen-stomach cold deficiency, adjust the dose or pair with other herbs, to avoid harming the spleen and stomach.

Shi Shang Bai

Modern Research

Modern research offers useful context, but Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes on whole-pattern diagnosis rather than isolated compounds.

1. Main Chemical Constituents

The constituents detected in the plant include flavonoid compounds, alkaloids, triterpenoids, and phenolic acids — the material basis of its potential activity. In in vitro experiments, some constituents show a certain inhibitory effect on some inflammatory mediators, but the specific clinical application value is not yet defined; in animal experiments, related extracts show a certain anti-inflammatory and swelling-reducing trend at specific doses — but this cannot be directly equated with the human effect. Currently, no sufficient human clinical research confirms its efficacy on a specific disease.

2. Current Research Directions

Research shows that current work on Shi Shang Bai mainly focuses on its potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant directions. In experiments, some constituents show a certain regulatory effect on inflammation-related markers in vitro, and the related animal experiments also show a certain swelling-reducing trend — but more human studies are still needed to verify its actual action and effective dose in the human body.

3. Limitations of Current Research

  • Lab results are not clinical efficacy — in vitro and animal results are obtained under specific conditions and cannot be directly extended to human use; the human physiological environment differs from the experimental environment, and the results may differ.
  • Extracts and monomers are not the same as traditional decoction pieces — modern research mostly uses extracts or monomers, while daily use is the traditional slices — the effective-constituent content and mode of action differ and cannot be equated directly.
  • Doses and preparation methods vary between studies — the doses and extraction processes differ across studies, so the results may be inconsistent and no unified conclusion can form.
  • A single component does not define the whole herb — Shi Shang Bai's action is the joint result of many constituents; the activity of a single constituent cannot represent the whole herb's full action.

Shi Shang Bai

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. What They Share

Choosing Chui Pen Cao as the similar herb, the two share these points:

  • Both have the actions of clearing-draining and resolving toxins, and both ease mild sore swollen throats and small local boils.
  • Both can be used for southern summer heat regulation, common in the folk daily light-ailment scenes.
  • Both need the constitution of the user considered — those with spleen-stomach cold deficiency need caution with both, to avoid worsening the deficiency-cold symptoms.

2. The Key Differences: Shi Shang Bai vs. Chui Pen Cao

  • Nature and flavors: Shi Shang Bai is cool with bitter and astringent flavors, entering the lung and liver channels; Chui Pen Cao is slightly cold with sweet and light flavors, entering the liver, gallbladder, and small-intestine channels. Both are cool, but Shi Shang Bai leans bitter-astringent and its clearing leans to the throat and liver channel, while Chui Pen Cao leans sweet-light and its clearing leans to the liver-gallbladder and small-intestine channels.
  • Focus: Shi Shang Bai leans to clearing the throat and dispersing surface local lumps and swelling-pain — targeting the mild discomfort of the upper-burner throat and the surface; Chui Pen Cao leans to clearing damp-heat and resolving toxins — targeting the jaundice and hypochondriac pain of liver-gallbladder damp-heat, or the sores of dampness-heat.
  • Qi tendency: Shi Shang Bai mainly clears and disperses stagnation — a clear, light product — sorting the upper-burner qi and easing the qi blockage of the throat; Chui Pen Cao mainly clears damp-heat — guiding the middle-lower burner qi and promoting the dampness out through urine.
  • Best fit: Shi Shang Bai fits sore swollen throats, hoarse voices, and the red swollen pain of early surface abscesses — mostly with mild internal-heat signs; Chui Pen Cao fits jaundice, hypochondriac pain, yellow-red urine, and damp-heat sores — mostly with liver-gallbladder damp-heat signs such as a bitter mouth and poor appetite.
  • Not suitable: Shi Shang Bai — not for those with spleen-stomach cold deficiency and frequent abdominal pain or diarrhea, nor for those with hard, growing lumps; Chui Pen Cao — not for those with spleen-stomach cold deficiency and frequent loose stool, nor for deficiency-pattern patients without damp-heat signs. Both are cool, but Chui Pen Cao's sweet-light nature more easily harms the spleen-stomach yang — the spleen-stomach weak need more caution.
  • Use scenes: Shi Shang Bai often serves as the daily regulation of throat discomfort or a local remedy for small surface boils, and can also be used in light-pattern formulas; Chui Pen Cao often serves the regulation of liver-gallbladder damp-heat — such as the auxiliary regulation of mild jaundice and hypochondriac pain — less for pure throat problems.

3. One-Sentence Summary

Simply put, Shi Shang Bai leans toward clearing the throat and dispersing the swelling-pain and lumps on the surface, whereas Chui Pen Cao leans toward clearing liver-gallbladder damp-heat and resolving toxins. Both can be used for mild heat patterns or sores, but they are not interchangeable.

Shi Shang Bai

Classical Formulas Containing Shi Shang Bai

Classic Formula 1: Fu Fang Shi Shang Bai Jian Ji (Compound Doederlein's-Spikemoss Decoction)

Combination logic: In this formula, Shi Shang Bai is the lord, exerting the core actions of clearing the throat, reducing swelling, and dispersing nodules; Jin Yin Hua and Lian Qiao are the ministers, strengthening the heat-clearing, toxin-resolving action; Jie Geng is the assistant, guiding the medicinal force to the throat; Gan Cao is the courier, harmonizing the herbs. Shi Shang Bai alone cannot form the synergy and cannot solve the complex heat-evil or lump problems — it must work with the other herbs together.

Traditional use: traditionally used for sore swollen throats, abscesses and sores, and lung-heat coughs — targeting mild-to-moderate heat patterns and local discomfort — a clearing-and-draining formula.

Modern note: modern clinical use of this formula requires the doctor's pattern diagnosis and standard care — do not self-apply just because the formula name relates to a certain disease; the physician must adjust the dose and combination to the specific pattern.

Classic Formula 2: Shi Shang Bai San Jie Tang (Doederlein's-Spikemoss Stagnation-Dispersing Decoction)

Combination logic: In this formula, Shi Shang Bai is the lord, exerting the core action of reducing swelling and dispersing nodules; Xia Ku Cao and Zhe Bei Mu are the ministers, strengthening the dispersing and phlegm-resolving actions; Chai Hu is the assistant, sorting the liver-channel qi and guiding the dispersing action to the liver-channel area; Gan Cao harmonizes the herbs. Shi Shang Bai alone cannot attend to both sorting the qi and resolving phlegm to disperse nodules — it cannot effectively target nodule-type problems.

Traditional use: traditionally used for the nodules and swelling-pain of liver-channel stagnation and qi-stagnation-phlegm-congealing — such as mild breast nodules and swollen lymph nodes — a stagnation-dispersing formula.

Modern note: modern clinical use of this formula requires the doctor's pattern diagnosis and standard care — the physician must clarify the pattern before use; do not take it on your own.

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

A formula is a whole of many herbs acting together, achieving synergistic strengthening and bias-checking through the combination; a single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effect. The doses and combinations in a formula are holistic — each herb's amount has been adjusted to fit the specific pattern. The common misunderstanding: a herb that works in a formula is thought to produce the same effect when taken alone — in fact, taking Shi Shang Bai alone cannot obtain the synergy of the many herbs in a formula; the efficacy is greatly discounted, and the bias of single use may even cause discomfort. Do not build formulas from online articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. Home Tea and Soup

(1) Shi Shang Bai Qing Yan Cha (Doederlein's-Spikemoss Throat-Clearing Tea): dried Shi Shang Bai 5 g, Jin Yin Hua 3 g, Mai Dong 3 g. Wash all, put into a cup, steep in boiling water, cover 10 minutes, and drink; it can be re-steeped until the flavor fades. Suited to the throat discomfort after overusing the voice in daily life, or a mild sore swollen throat with dry mouth in summer. Not for those with spleen-stomach cold deficiency and frequent abdominal pain or diarrhea; pregnant women should also avoid it. Suggested: 1–2 times a week, each cup no more than 200 ml; do not drink long-term continuously.

(2) Shi Shang Bai Xiao Zhong Tang (Doederlein's-Spikemoss Swelling-Reducing Soup): dried Shi Shang Bai 10 g, Pu Gong Ying 6 g, lean pork 50 g. Wash the Shi Shang Bai and Pu Gong Ying, wrap in gauze; chunk and blanch the lean pork; put all into a clay pot, add proper clean water, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to low heat and simmer 30 minutes; season with salt. Suited to the red swollen pain of early mild surface abscesses, or mild local lymph swelling with tenderness. Not for those with spleen-stomach cold deficiency; also not for abscesses that have already broken open. Suggested: 1–2 times a month; do not eat frequently.

2. Decoction and Processing Differences

The raw Shi Shang Bai is the washed, cut, dried herb with no special processing — its clearing action is relatively strong, fitting throat-clearing and nodule-dispersing. For home decoction, because Shi Shang Bai's texture is light and thin, no special handling is needed — it can be decocted with the other herbs, without pre-boiling, late addition, or bag-boiling. Different forms of Shi Shang Bai (such as slices and granules) cannot be converted directly — the granules have a higher effective-constituent content and must be used strictly per the instructions or the physician's guidance.

3. Dosage and Course

The common dose of Shi Shang Bai in traditional prescriptions is 10–15 g — somewhat smaller for clearing the throat, somewhat larger for reducing swelling and dispersing nodules. The food-therapy dose must be halved — no more than 5 g — to avoid discomfort from an excessive dose. Long-term continuous use is not advised — do not use continuously beyond 1 week; if the symptoms do not ease, stop and consult a physician. Special groups — such as pregnant women, children, and the elderly — need the dose and course adjusted under a physician's guidance.

Shi Shang Bai

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. Who Should Avoid It

  • Spleen-stomach cold deficiency — those with frequent abdominal pain, diarrhea, cold hands and feet, and fear of cold should not self-use Shi Shang Bai, to avoid worsening the deficiency-cold symptoms.
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding — need caution; there is no sufficient safety data currently — avoid self-use.
  • Children and the elderly — weaker constitution and lower drug tolerance — use under a physician's guidance.
  • Liver or kidney impairment — the herb needs liver-kidney metabolism — self-use may add burden; consult a physician.
  • Allergy to Selaginellaceae plants — may have an allergic reaction to Shi Shang Bai — avoid use.

2. Interactions and Diet Notes

Shi Shang Bai may interact with anticoagulants, blood-pressure medications, and glucose-lowering medications; there is currently no sufficient clinical data defining the specific interactions, but those receiving these treatments should consult a doctor or pharmacist first and avoid self-use. The effective constituents of Shi Shang Bai may affect the absorption or metabolism of drugs — take it 1–2 hours apart from other medications. There is no sufficient evidence of a general "food clash" between ordinary foods, but certain herbs can interact with specific drugs — those on medication should consult a doctor or pharmacist first.

3. Adverse Reactions and Overdose Risk

If used improperly, Shi Shang Bai may cause gastrointestinal upset — such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea — and some people may have allergic reactions like a rash and itching. Overuse may worsen the gastrointestinal irritation, causing persistent vomiting and abdominal pain. If marked discomfort, allergy signs, persistent vomiting, breathing difficulty, altered consciousness, or rapidly worsening symptoms appear, stop at once and seek medical care — do not delay the illness.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shi Shang Bai

What is Shishangbai? Is it the same as Juanbai or Shiwei?
Shishangbai is the dried whole plant of Selaginella doederleinii, Latin name Selaginellae Doederleinii Herba. It is a common Chinese medicine centered on clearing heat and detoxifying, and dispelling wind-damp. Juanbai activates blood and unblocks meridians, often used to break blood. Shiwei promotes urination and clears the lung. They cannot be used interchangeably in equal amounts. Prescribe as Shishangbai. Caution in spleen-stomach deficiency cold.
What are the composition and effects of Shishangbai?
Pharmacopoeial name Shishangbai, Latin Selaginella doederleinii Hieron. Sweet, slightly bitter and astringent in taste, cool in nature, enters the Liver, Gallbladder and Lung meridians. Functions to clear heat and detoxify, and dispel wind-damp. Used for sore throat, red and swollen eyes, lung-heat cough, mastitis, damp-heat jaundice, wind-damp bi pain, and traumatic bleeding. Clears heat and dispels wind.
How to choose between raw and processed? Can Juanbai replace it?
Whole plant is used raw. Juanbai emphasizes breaking blood rather than strongly detoxifying, and cannot replace it in equal amounts. Commercial products are standardized; do not adjust arbitrarily.
What is the dosage of Shishangbai? Can it be used daily as a detoxifying tea?
Decoction, 10-30g. Modern use requires physician-determined dosage. It is not a year-round "Shishangbai tea." Spleen-stomach deficiency cold will be further injured by prolonged use. Heat toxin requires short-term, physician-determined dosage and cannot replace evaluation.
What are the contraindications of Shishangbai? Can pregnant women use it?
Not suitable for spleen-stomach deficiency cold. Pregnant women require physician evaluation. Stop if dizziness or poor appetite occur. Seek immediate medical care for severe fever or high fever.
Can Shishangbai clear heat, detoxify, and dispel wind-damp?
It can assist sore throat, red and swollen eyes, lung-heat cough, mastitis, damp-heat jaundice, wind-damp bi pain, and traumatic bleeding. It clears heat and detoxifies, and dispels wind-damp, but is not a specific remedy for all heat toxin or all bi pain.
Can Shishangbai be taken daily as a detoxifying or wind-dispelling tea?
Heat toxin can be used short-term in formulas; spleen-stomach deficiency cold will be further injured. The idea that "Shishangbai must detoxify" cannot replace evaluation. Clearing heat and dispelling wind-damp requires physician-determined formulation and dosage.
How to choose between Shishangbai, Juanbai, Shiwei, Baihuasheshecao, and Weilingxian?
Shishangbai clears heat and dispels wind-damp, suited to sore throat. Juanbai activates blood and unblocks meridians. Shiwei promotes urination and clears the lung. Baihuasheshecao clears heat and detoxifies, often used in oncology support. Weilingxian dispels wind and unblocks collaterals. Choose Shishangbai for detoxifying; Juanbai for breaking blood; Shiwei for promoting urination; Baihuasheshecao for oncology support; Weilingxian for unblocking collaterals. Pattern differentiation applies, but large doses of Shishangbai are contraindicated in spleen-stomach deficiency cold.
How is Shishangbai commonly modified? What is a representative usage?
Modifications depend on the pattern. Add Banlangen for sore throat; add Weilingxian for bi pain. Specify Shishangbai; do not substitute Juanbai in equal amounts for detoxifying.
How to select and store Shishangbai?
Choose regular Chinese medicinal materials with intact whole plants. Discard if moldy, damp, or abnormal in odor. Store in a dry place. Purchase "Shishangbai"; do not substitute Juanbai or Shiwei in equal amounts for clearing heat and dispelling wind-damp.

Related Products

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Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.

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Shi Shang Bai (Doederlein's Spikemoss Herb): Clears heat, resolves toxicity, and dissipates nodular masses