Sweet and cool, Cirsii japonici Herba sive Radix (da ji) enters the Liver, Heart, and Spleen channels. Because the Liver stores the blood and the Heart controls blood flow, its coolness reduces chaotically moving blood and thus stops bleeding. Its sweetness also helps tonify the blood, as noted in Essentials of the Materia Medica: "Its movement contains tonification." However, what this means is that it "removes the old in order to allow the new [blood] to be produced." Many materia medica texts record its beneficial effect on boils and furuncles, as it reduces swelling, cools heat, and removes stagnant blood. It also relieves jaundice and has recently been used to reduce high blood pressure. Externally, this herb can be pounded into a paste and applied for bleeding from trauma. For swollen sores and boils, one can pound the fresh herb to extract the juice. The juice is drunk, and the paste is applied topically.