Rhizoma pinelliae belongs to the Araceae family (arum plants).

Pinellia is one of the most important so-called mucus transforming medicines and is capable of drying fluids (Humor) and transforming mucus (Pituita) in accordance with Chinese ideas.
It has warm thermal behaviour and a pungent taste and takes effect particularly on the middle calorium, primarily in the spleen and stomach feedback circuits (Orbis lienalis and Orbis stomachi). It also has a connection with the Orbis pulmonalis (lung feedback circuit).
Pinellia plays a prominent role in traditional Chinese medicinal therapy, since according to traditional Chinese notions Pituita (mucus) is a major factor in many syndromes.
In connection with the above, mucus may be regarded not as mucus in the Western sense, but rather as an energetic construction.
In this way, for example, the Chinese approach frequently links vertiginous disorders causally with mucous processes.
Pinellia is administered for the treatment of disorders such as coughing accompanied by abundant mucus, nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal disorders, dizziness and impaired consciousness.
In remedies, pinellia is frequently administered together with Zingiberis, since Zingiberis neutralises side effects of Pinellia.
The remedies in which pinellia is administered include the following: bupleurum decoction (Xiao Chai Hu Tang),
small blue-green dragon decoction (Xiao Qing Long Tang),
Gentlemen decoction (Liu Jun Zi Tang).