This category of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs functions to clear internal heat, relieve heat toxins, and cool the blood, primarily used for heat-prone constitutions and internal heat syndromes. 1. Xuan Shen (Scrophularia) Xuan Shen is the root of the Scrophulariaceae plant Scrophularia and Beimu, containing xuan shen saponins, cyclic ether terpenoids; it also contains volatile oils, alkaloids, etc. Pharmacological tests have shown that Xuan Shen decoction, alcohol extract, and infusion all have blood pressure-lowering effects; Xuan Shen also has vasodilatory and cardiotonic effects; various preparations of Xuan Shen have antipyretic and anticonvulsant effects. TCM believes it is cold in nature, sweet and bitter in taste, and functions to nourish yin and lower fire, cool the blood, and detoxify, suitable for symptoms such as heat disease with thirst, rashes, bone steaming fever, insomnia, spontaneous sweating, night sweats, injury to fluids with constipation, and sore throat. Dosage: 6-12 grams; avoid use in cases of loose stools and phlegm-dampness. 2. Jue Ming Zi (Cassia Seed) Jue Ming Zi is the seed of the leguminous plant Cassia obtusifolia or Cassia tora, containing anthraquinones and anthrones, Jue Ming Su, and vitamin A, etc. Pharmacological tests have shown that Jue Ming Zi has blood pressure-lowering and serum cholesterol-lowering effects; it has antibacterial effects against various pathogenic bacteria and promotes soft stools. TCM believes it is slightly cold in nature, sweet and bitter in taste, and functions to clear the liver and brighten the eyes, promote urination and relieve constipation, suitable for symptoms such as liver heat or wind-heat in the liver causing red, painful eyes, photophobia, and excessive tearing; it is also effective for treating hypertension, hepatitis, cirrhosis with ascites, and habitual constipation. Dosage: 3-9 grams, crushed and decocted. 3. Di Gu Pi (Lycium Bark) Di Gu Pi is the root bark of the Solanaceae plant Lycium, containing cinnamic acid, various phenolic compounds, betaine, and linoleic acid, etc.; Di Gu Pi has significant antipyretic effects, and its decoction can lower blood sugar, reduce serum cholesterol, and has anti-fatty liver effects. The infusion of Di Gu Pi has shown significant blood pressure-lowering effects in animals. TCM believes it is cold in nature, sweet and bland in taste, and functions to cool the blood, reduce steaming, clear lung heat, suitable for symptoms such as deficiency heat with night sweats, lung heat cough and wheezing, blood heat causing hemoptysis, epistaxis, carbuncles, and ulcers, as well as tuberculosis and hypertension. Dosage: Generally 3-9 grams. 4. Lu Gen (Reed Rhizome) Lu Gen is the underground stem of the grass plant Reed, containing coixol, asparagine, etc. TCM believes it is cold in nature, sweet in taste, and functions to clear heat and generate fluids, relieve irritability, stop vomiting, and promote urination, suitable for heat diseases injuring fluids, irritability and thirst, gastric heat vomiting, choking sensation, and reverse stomach, as well as treating lung heat cough and lung abscess. Dosage: Generally 9-30 grams for dried; 15-40 grams for fresh. 5. Lian Qiao (Forsythia Fruit) Lian Qiao is the fruit of the Oleaceae plant Forsythia suspensa, containing volatile oils, forsythoside, flavonoids, alkaloids, etc.; pharmacological tests indicate that Lian Qiao has broad-spectrum antibacterial effects, with forsythoside likely being the main antibacterial component; Lian Qiao also has anti-inflammatory, antiemetic, diuretic, and cardiotonic effects; the flavonoids can enhance the density of capillaries, thus having hemostatic effects for bleeding caused by capillary rupture, subcutaneous hemorrhage, etc. TCM believes it is slightly cold in nature, bitter in taste, and functions to clear heat and detoxify, disperse lumps and reduce swelling, suitable for warm heat, erysipelas, rashes, carbuncles, and allergic purpura, etc. Dosage: Generally 6-9 grams. 6. Mu Dan Pi (Peony Root) Mu Dan Pi is the root bark of the Ranunculaceae plant Paeonia, containing paeonol, paeoniflorin, volatile oils, and plant sterols, etc. Pharmacological tests have shown that Mu Dan Pi has blood pressure-lowering effects; it has analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects; it has strong inhibitory effects against various pathogenic bacteria. TCM believes it is cool in nature, bitter and pungent in taste, and functions to clear heat, cool the blood, harmonize the blood, and clear stasis, suitable for symptoms such as heat entering the blood level, rashes, severe pain, hemoptysis, carbuncles, and traumatic injuries. Dosage: 5-9 grams, but avoid use in cases of spleen and stomach deficiency with cold diarrhea. 7. Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena) Zhi Mu is the rhizome of the Liliaceae plant Anemarrhena, containing various saponins and their glycosides, as well as two flavonoid components, mangiferin, etc. Tests have shown that Zhi Mu has significant antipyretic effects, with notable efficacy against epidemic hemorrhagic fever, epidemic type B encephalitis, and tidal fever in tuberculosis. TCM believes it is cold in nature, sweet and bitter in taste, and functions to clear heat and drain fire, nourish yin and moisten dryness, suitable for symptoms such as lung heat cough and wheezing or yin deficiency cough, irritability and thirst, bone steaming fever, difficulty urinating, and dry constipation. Dosage: Generally 6-9 grams, but avoid use in cases of kidney yang deficiency, weak pulse, and loose stools. 8. Ban Lan Gen (Isatis Root) Ban Lan Gen is the root of the Brassicaceae plant Isatis indigotica and Isatis tinctoria, containing indirubin, indigo, and β-sitosterol, etc.; Ban Lan Gen has significant antiviral effects. It inhibits various pathogenic bacteria and has effects against Leptospira. Clinically, Ban Lan Gen decoction taken orally or injected intramuscularly has shown significant efficacy in treating epidemic type B encephalitis; it is also effective for both acute and chronic hepatitis, alleviating or resolving symptoms and promoting liver function improvement; Ban Lan Gen is effective in treating viral skin diseases such as herpes simplex, shingles, pityriasis rosea, and flat warts to varying degrees. TCM believes it is cold in nature, bitter in taste, and functions to clear heat and detoxify, cool the blood, and benefit the throat, suitable for symptoms such as influenza encephalitis, type B encephalitis, pneumonia, erysipelas, heat toxin rashes, fire eyes, and herpes. Dosage: Generally 5-9 grams; avoid use in cases of spleen and stomach deficiency with cold. 9. Jin Yin Hua (Honeysuckle Flower) Jin Yin Hua is the flower bud of the Caprifoliaceae plant Lonicera japonica, containing chlorogenic acid, inositol, flavonoids, etc.; pharmacological tests have shown that Jin Yin Hua has anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects, inhibiting influenza viruses and various pathogenic bacteria, reflecting its heat-clearing and detoxifying properties. TCM believes it is cold in nature, sweet in taste, and functions to clear heat and detoxify, suitable for warm disease fever, heat toxin dysentery, sores, carbuncles, and boils, etc. Dosage: Generally 6-12 grams; avoid use in cases of deficiency-cold diarrhea and sores with clear pus without heat toxin. 10. Xia Ku Cao (Selfheal) Xia Ku Cao is the flower or whole herb of the Lamiaceae plant Prunella vulgaris, containing triterpenoid saponins and their aglycones, volatile oils, vitamins, potassium chloride, etc.; pharmacological studies have shown that the whole herb of Xia Ku Cao has blood pressure-lowering effects; its decoction has varying degrees of inhibitory effects against common skin fungi and various pathogenic bacteria. TCM believes it is cold in nature, bitter and pungent in taste, and functions to clear liver fire, disperse stagnation, and lower blood pressure, suitable for symptoms such as liver fire causing red, swollen, painful eyes, eye pain, photophobia, tearing, headaches, and dizziness; it is also used for scrofula and goiter caused by phlegm-fire stagnation. Dosage: Generally around 9 grams. 11. Zhi Zi (Gardenia Fruit) Zhi Zi is the fruit of the Rubiaceae plant Gardenia jasminoides, containing various bitter glycosides, as well as mannitol, ursolic acid, etc.; Zhi Zi has a choleretic effect, increasing bile secretion; it also has cooling, sedative, analgesic, and anticonvulsant effects; it has antimicrobial effects, inhibiting various pathogenic bacteria and skin pathogenic fungi. TCM believes it is cold in nature, bitter in taste, and functions to drain fire and relieve irritability, clear heat and promote dampness, cool the blood and detoxify, suitable for symptoms such as heat disease with irritability and insomnia, jaundice, red eyes, epistaxis, and heat toxin sores. Dosage: 3-9 grams. 12. Pu Gong Ying (Dandelion) Pu Gong Ying is the whole herb of the Asteraceae plant Taraxacum, containing taraxasterol, choline, inulin, and fruit acids, etc.; its decoction has antimicrobial effects; it also has liver-protective, choleretic, and immune-enhancing effects. TCM believes it is cold in nature, sweet and bitter in taste, and functions to clear heat and detoxify, reduce swelling and disperse lumps, suitable for acute mastitis, lymphadenitis, shoulder gland inflammation, gastritis, hepatitis, cholecystitis, urinary tract infections, etc. Dosage: 9-15 grams, crushed for external application, can be used for breast abscesses, rashes, and carbuncles.
Disclaimer: This article is reproduced from the internet and published materials. If there is any infringement, please contact us for deletion. The various prescriptions and remedies mentioned are for informational sharing only and do not constitute medical advice, recommendations, or guidance. Please use them under the guidance of a physician for differential diagnosis.
If you find this useful, 
remember to follow us!
Editor shares good articles with friends
1. Weak spleen and stomach, weak qi and blood, blocked blood vessels, must first supplement here, otherwise, no matter how much you supplement, it will be in vain
2. What should be eaten for stomach cold? No need to take medicine, just eat these foods to warm and nourish the stomach
3. The spleen’s failure leads to the heart’s failure, the spleen’s peace leads to the heart’s peace, a point for strengthening the spleen and saving the heart, given to those with palpitations
Like is a form of encouragement Share to spread joyAfter reading, click “Looking”