1. Jin Yin Hua (Honeysuckle), Lian Qiao (Forsythia)
Dosage: Jin Yin Hua 30g, Lian Qiao 15g.
Effects: Clears heat and detoxifies, releases heat and resolves exterior.
Indications: Various heat syndromes from exogenous diseases, surgical sores, and swellings.
Notes: Both Jin Yin Hua and Lian Qiao are herbs for clearing heat and detoxifying. Jin Yin Hua is sweet and cold in nature, aromatic, and functions to clear heat and detoxify, dispersing both wind-heat and toxins in the blood; Lian Qiao is bitter and cold, clearing heat and dispersing wind-heat, clearing heart fire, and resolving sores. Together, these herbs work synergistically to clear heat and detoxify, as well as reduce swelling and dissipate masses, making them suitable for treating sores and swellings caused by heat toxins. They should be avoided in cases of spleen and stomach deficiency with cold.
2. Pu Gong Ying (Dandelion), Zi Hua Di Ding (Viola)
Dosage: Pu Gong Ying 30g, Zi Hua Di Ding 30g.
Effects: Clears heat and detoxifies, dissipates abscesses and reduces swelling.
Indications: Sores, abscesses, and toxic infections.
Notes: Both Pu Gong Ying and Zi Hua Di Ding can clear heat and detoxify, dissipating abscesses and swelling. Pu Gong Ying is bitter and sweet, cold in nature, and excels at reducing swelling, particularly effective for breast abscesses; Zi Hua Di Ding is bitter and pungent, cold in nature, with functions to clear heat and detoxify, cool the blood, and reduce swelling. Together, they enhance the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, making them essential for treating abscesses and infections. They should be avoided in cases of spleen and stomach deficiency with cold and yin.
3. Da Qing Ye (Isatis Leaf), Zi Cao (Lithospermum)
Dosage: Da Qing Ye 15g, Zi Cao 10g.
Effects: Clears heat and detoxifies, cools the blood and reduces rashes.
Indications: Warm-heat epidemic toxins, high fever with delirium, rashes, and wind-heat colds.
Notes: Da Qing Ye and Zi Cao are key herbs for detoxification. Da Qing Ye is bitter and cold, specifically clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling the blood and reducing rashes; Zi Cao is sweet, salty, and cold, good at clearing heat, cooling the blood, and detoxifying. Together, they work to clear heat, detoxify, and cool the blood. They can be used for various symptoms of warm diseases with heat toxins, as well as for wind-heat colds presenting with fever, headache, and sore throat. They should be avoided in cases of spleen and stomach deficiency with cold.
4. Jin Yin Hua, Gan Cao (Licorice)
Dosage: Jin Yin Hua 15-30g, Sheng Gan Cao 9-12g.
Effects: Clears heat, cools the blood, drains fire, and detoxifies.
Indications: Heat toxin sores, blood-heat rashes, dysentery with blood, etc.
Notes: Jin Yin Hua is sweet and cold, excellent at clearing heat and detoxifying, dispersing wind and heat, making it essential for treating both internal and external abscesses; Gan Cao, when raw, is sweet and slightly cool, can clear heat and detoxify, and is used for heat toxin sores. Together, Gan Cao assists Jin Yin Hua in detoxifying and also protects the stomach, working synergistically to clear heat, cool the blood, drain fire, and detoxify. They can treat various heat toxin sores, blood-heat rashes, dysentery with blood, and sore throat.
5. Bai Tou Weng (Pulsatilla), Qin Pi (Fraxini Cortex)
Dosage: Bai Tou Weng 15g, Qin Pi 15g.
Effects: Clears heat, stops dysentery, clears the liver, cools the blood, and transforms damp-heat.
Indications: Used for heat dysentery with abdominal pain, dysentery with pus and blood, tenesmus, and blood-heat bleeding.
Notes: Bai Tou Weng is bitter and cold, good at clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling the blood, and stopping dysentery; Qin Pi is bitter and astringent, cold in nature, good at clearing heat, drying dampness, and stopping dysentery, as well as clearing the liver and brightening the eyes. Together, they complement each other, effectively clearing heat and stopping dysentery, while also clearing the liver, cooling the blood, and transforming damp-heat. They are suitable for treating damp-heat dysentery, especially when heat toxins invade the blood. They should be avoided in cases of spleen and stomach deficiency with cold.
6. Bai Xian Pi (Dictamnus), Yin Chen (Artemisia)
Dosage: Bai Xian Pi 10g, Yin Chen 15g.
Effects: Clears heat and eliminates dampness.
Indications: Damp-heat jaundice, damp sores and itching, wind-damp heat bi syndrome.
Notes: Bai Xian Pi is bitter and cold, good at clearing heat, drying dampness, dispelling wind, and detoxifying; Yin Chen is pungent, bitter, and slightly cold, good at clearing heat, benefiting dampness, and reducing jaundice. Together, they clear heat and eliminate dampness, enhancing the effect of reducing jaundice, making them essential for treating jaundice, especially damp-heat jaundice. They can also be adjusted for treating damp sores and itching, and for wind-damp heat bi syndrome, often combined with other herbs like Jin Yin Hua, Cang Zhu, Huang Bai, and Niu Xi to enhance the effects of clearing heat, drying dampness, and dispelling wind.
7. Jin Yin Hua, Pu Gong Ying
Dosage: Jin Yin Hua 10-15g, Pu Gong Ying 10-30g.
Effects: Clears heat and detoxifies, dissipates abscesses and reduces swelling.
Indications: Furuncles and abscesses, frequent and urgent urination due to damp-heat.
Notes: Jin Yin Hua is sweet and cold, excellent at clearing heat and detoxifying, dissipating abscesses and masses, making it essential for treating all internal and external abscesses; Pu Gong Ying is bitter and sweet, cold in nature, capable of clearing heat and detoxifying, draining excess heat, and promoting urination. Together, they complement each other, enhancing the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, and dissipating abscesses and swelling, suitable for treating furuncles and abscesses, as well as frequent and urgent urination.
8. Jin Yin Hua, Niu Bang Zi (Burdock Seed)
Dosage: Jin Yin Hua 10-15g, Niu Bang Zi 5-10g.
Effects: Disperses wind and scatters heat, detoxifies and benefits the throat.
Indications: Exogenous wind-heat or initial warm disease causing fever, chills, cough, phlegm obstruction, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing.
Notes: Jin Yin Hua is sweet and cold, dispersing wind-heat and releasing the exterior, clearing heat and cooling the blood, benefiting the throat; Niu Bang Zi is pungent and bitter, cold in nature, can clear heat, and has a descending nature, dispersing wind-heat, excelling at promoting lung function and clearing the throat. Together, they work to disperse wind-heat, detoxify, and benefit the throat, suitable for treating sore throat, fever, chills, and abscesses.
9. Jin Yin Hua, Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia)
Dosage: Jin Yin Hua 9g, Sheng Di Huang 15g.
Effects: Clears heat and detoxifies, nourishes yin and releases heat.
Indications: Heat diseases injuring fluids, thirst, red tongue, dry lips, etc.; heat entering the nutrient level causing severe night fever, occasional delirium, and a dry, red tongue.
Notes: Jin Yin Hua is sweet and cold, lightly fragrant, dispersing wind-heat; Sheng Di Huang is bitter and cold, entering the blood level, essential for clearing heat, cooling the blood, and stopping bleeding, while also nourishing yin and generating fluids. Together, they expel pathogens without harming the righteous qi, nourish yin without leaving pathogens, and clear both qi and blood, effectively clearing heat and detoxifying, nourishing yin, and releasing heat. They can treat heat diseases injuring fluids, thirst, red tongue, dry lips, and severe night fever with delirium.
10. Jin Yin Hua, Dang Gui (Angelica)
Dosage: Jin Yin Hua 10-15g, Dang Gui 5-15g.
Effects: Clears heat and detoxifies, invigorates blood and disperses stasis.
Indications: Initial stages of abscesses and sores, red, swollen, painful, or blood-deficient ulcers that do not heal.
Notes: Jin Yin Hua is sweet and cold, clearing heat and detoxifying, dispersing stasis and reducing swelling, primarily used for treating abscesses, heat toxin dysentery, sore throat, and initial stages of warm diseases; Dang Gui is warm and pungent, essential for invigorating blood and dispersing stasis, good at nourishing blood and alleviating pain. Together, they work synergistically to clear heat and detoxify, invigorate blood, and disperse stasis.
11. Tu Fu Ling (Smilax), Bi Xie (Dioscorea)
Dosage: Tu Fu Ling 30g, Bi Xie 15g.
Effects: Detoxifies, benefits dampness, alleviates pain.
Indications: Damp-heat urinary tract infections, gout, joint swelling and pain.
Notes: Tu Fu Ling is sweet and bland, neutral in nature, good at detoxifying and eliminating dampness, promoting joint function; Bi Xie is bitter and neutral, can benefit dampness and transform turbidity, dispelling wind and alleviating pain. Together, they effectively clear heat and detoxify, allowing damp-heat toxins to be eliminated through urination, suitable for treating damp-heat urinary tract infections, gout, and joint pain.
12. Jin Yin Hua, Huang Qi (Astragalus)
Dosage: Jin Yin Hua 10-15g, Huang Qi 10-15g.
Effects: Clears heat and detoxifies, promotes healing and muscle regeneration.
Indications: Abscesses with pus that do not rupture, or have already ruptured with thin, clear pus.
Notes: Jin Yin Hua is sweet and cold, excellent at clearing heat and detoxifying, dispersing stasis and reducing swelling; Huang Qi is sweet and warm, essential for tonifying qi and benefiting the middle, also promoting healing and muscle regeneration. In cases of abscesses with pus that do not rupture, or have already ruptured with thin, clear pus, Huang Qi can tonify qi and blood, supporting the righteous qi and helping to expel pus. Together, they work synergistically to clear heat and detoxify, promoting healing and muscle regeneration.