Alias
Yin Hua, Shuang Hua, Er Bao Hua.
Source
It is the dried flower buds of the perennial evergreen climbing plant from the Caprifoliaceae family, known as Lonicera japonica Thunb.
Plant Morphology
A climbing semi-shrub, evergreen. Young branches are densely covered with soft hairs and glandular hairs, while old branches are brownish and strip-like, hollow. Leaves are opposite, ovate to long-ovate, measuring 3–8 cm in length and 1.5–4 cm in width, initially hairy on both sides, later glabrous on the upper side. Flowers are borne in pairs in the axils, with short soft hairs on the pedicels and flowers; the corolla is white when first opened, turning yellow later, covered with soft hairs and glandular hairs, and the corolla tube is slender; there are 5 stamens that extend beyond the corolla; the ovary is inferior. The berries are spherical and turn black when ripe. The flowering period is from April to June, and the fruiting period is from July to October.
Habitat
Grows along roadsides, on hillsides, in shrublands, or sparse forests. Distributed in most regions of the country. Harvesting
Collected in summer before the flowers bloom and then dried.
Medicinal Material
The flower buds are rod-shaped, thicker at the top and tapering down, slightly curved, measuring 2–3 cm in length, with the upper diameter about 3 mm and the lower diameter about 1.5 mm. The surface is yellowish-white or greenish-white, darkening with prolonged storage, densely covered with short soft hairs. The calyx is green, and the calyx tube is globular; the opened corolla is tubular with a 2-lipped tip. It has a fragrant aroma, with a mild and slightly bitter taste.
Properties and Channels
Sweet, cold. Enters the Lung (Fei), Heart (Xin), and Stomach (Wei) channels.
Functions and Applications
1、Clears heat and detoxifies: Used for treating external heat and sores and abscesses. a. Wind-heat cold or initial stage of warm disease with pathogen in the defensive level; b. Heat entering the qi level, causing strong fever and thirst or heat in the blood level with high fever and rashes; c. Heat toxin sores and abscesses, lung abscess, intestinal abscess, often combined with other heat-clearing and detoxifying herbs.
2、Cools the blood and stops dysentery: Can treat heat toxin dysentery with purulent and bloody stools. Dosage and Administration 10-15g, for cooling blood and stopping dysentery, it is advisable to use it charred. Chemical Components Contains volatile oils, mainly including Shuanghua alcohol and linalool; also contains luteolin, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid, loganin, and inositol.
Notes
Flower buds from various plants in the same genus are used as honeysuckle in different regions. The stems and branches of Lonicera are also used medicinally, referred to as “Rendong Teng,” which can clear heat, detoxify, and disperse wind to open the meridians.