The part of this plant used is its root. Fo Ti is second only to ginseng in traditional Chinese medicine. Fo Ti, according to Chinese legend, was used by a 58 year old man who ate it and then fathered many children. It has been used to tread colic, enteritis or the inflammation of the intestines, gout and hemorrhoids. Research is being done on its use to lower cholesterol and to aid in the acceptance of organ transplants.