Excerpted from Bensky:  Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd ed.

• Resolves fire toxicity and cools the blood:  for damp-heat or fire toxin dysenteric disorders.  Also for bloody or hot painful urinary dribbling.  At present, primarily used for bacillary dysentery with incomplete bowel movements.*
• Clears damp-heat and treats sores:  primarily for fire toxin carbuncles or sores, as well as red-and-white vaginal discharge.  For these purposes it is applied topically and taken internally.  Often the fresh herb is used.*
• Also used as an antidote for the pain and swelling of wasp stings and snakebite.*
• Stops bleeding and unblocks painful urinary dribbling:  for uterine bleeding (especially postpartum), painful bloody urinary dribbling, and hot painful urinary dribbling.*