This product is the dried rhizome of three plants from the Ranunculaceae family: Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis), Sanjiao Ye Huang Lian (Coptis teeta), and Yun Lian (Coptis deltoidea).
The three are commonly known as “Wei Lian”, “Ya Lian”, and “Yun Lian”. They are mainly cultivated in Chongqing, with production also in Hubei, Sichuan, and Yunnan.
Harvested in autumn, the roots are cleaned of fibrous roots and soil, dried, and any remaining fibrous roots are removed.
Huang Lian
Properties: Bitter in taste, cold in nature.
Meridians: Enters the Heart, Spleen, Stomach, Liver, Gallbladder, and Large Intestine meridians.
Functions: Clears heat, drains dampness, relieves fire, and detoxifies.
Indications: Used for damp-heat obstruction, vomiting with sour regurgitation, diarrhea, jaundice, high fever with delirium, excessive heart fire, irritability and insomnia, blood heat with vomiting or nosebleeds, red eyes, toothache, diabetes, and carbuncles; externally for eczema, damp sores, and purulent ear discharge.
From the “Compendium of Materia Medica”: Drains liver fire, clears heart orifices of evil blood, stops palpitations.
From the “Essentials of Materia Medica”: Enters the heart to drain fire, calms the liver and cools the blood, dries dampness and opens stagnation, quenches thirst and relieves irritability, benefits the liver and gallbladder, strengthens the stomach and intestines, resolves heart stasis, and stops night sweats.
From the “Changsha Herbal Explanation”: Huang Lian is bitter and cold, entering the Hand Shaoyin Heart meridian. It clears the heart, reduces fever, drains fire, and relieves irritability. Caution is advised for those with stomach deficiency and vomiting, spleen deficiency with diarrhea, or kidney deficiency with nocturnal enuresis. Huang Lian is non-toxic and an extremely bitter and effective medicine.
From the “Pearl Bag”: Huang Lian has six uses: 1. Drains heart fire; 2. Eliminates damp-heat from the middle jiao; 3. Essential for treating sores; 4. Dispels wind-damp; 5. Treats red eyes; 6. Stops bleeding from the middle jiao.
From the “Record of Famous Physicians”: Huang Lian is slightly cold and non-toxic. It treats the five zang organs’ heat and cold, chronic diarrhea, and stops thirst and great fright, eliminates water, benefits bones, regulates the stomach, strengthens the intestines, benefits the gallbladder, and treats oral ulcers.
From the “Illustrated Materia Medica”: Huang Lian is often used for eye conditions, particularly with sheep liver pills being especially effective. Eye diseases are often caused by blood stasis, hence the combination of blood-moving herbs with Huang Lian for treatment. Blood moves when heated, hence the need for heat in the treatment.
From the “Extended Meaning of Materia Medica”: Many people use it for diarrhea, adhering to the principle of its bitter and drying nature. If diarrhea is seen with intestinal deficiency and slight blood in stools, it is used without understanding the need to stop. They also do not consider the balance of cold and heat, using it in full doses, which can lead to danger. If the qi is full at the onset of illness, with heat and bloody diarrhea, it can be used to stop, but it is not necessary to use a full dose. If deficient and cold, it should not be used. Other references are as per the classics.
From the “Soup and Liquid Materia Medica”: Cold in nature, bitter in taste. Thick in flavor and thin in qi, it is yin within yang. It ascends and is non-toxic.
From the “Materia Medica of the Mongolian School”: Bitter in taste, cold in nature. Thick in flavor and thin in qi, it can ascend or descend. It is heavy, yin, and slightly yang within yin. Non-toxic. Treats various fire evils, depending on preparation.
Preparation Methods and Effects
1. Huang Lian (Raw)
Preparation Method:Take the original herb, remove impurities, wash thoroughly with water, soak, slice thinly, dry, and sift out fragments; or crush when needed.
Effect:Raw Huang Lian has a strong bitter and cold nature, excels in draining fire and detoxifying, and clearing heat and drying dampness.
2. Wine-Processed Huang Lian
Preparation Method:Take clean Huang Lian slices, mix with a specified amount of yellow wine, let it soak slightly, and after the wine is absorbed, place in a frying container, heat gently, and fry until dry, then cool and sift out fragments. For every 100 kg of Huang Lian slices, use 12.5 kg of yellow wine.
Effect:Wine-fried Huang Lian can guide the herb upwards, moderating its cold nature, and is effective in clearing heat from the head and eyes.
3. Ginger-Processed Huang Lian
Preparation Method:Take clean Huang Lian slices, mix with ginger juice, let it soak slightly, and after the ginger juice is absorbed, place in a frying container, heat gently, and fry until dry, then cool and sift out fragments. For every 100 kg of Huang Lian slices, use 12.5 kg of fresh ginger or 4 kg of dried ginger, juiced or decocted.
Effect:Enhances its anti-nausea effect.
4. Wu Zhu Yu-Processed Huang Lian
Preparation Method:Take Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia rutaecarpa) and boil with an appropriate amount of water, strain the juice, mix the decoction with Huang Lian slices, let it soak slightly, and after the liquid is absorbed, place in a frying container, heat gently, and fry until dry, then cool and sift out fragments. For every 100 kg of Huang Lian slices, use 10 kg of Wu Zhu Yu.
Effect:Wu Zhu Yu processed Huang Lian can mitigate the cold nature of Huang Lian, primarily clearing damp-heat from the qi aspect and dispersing liver and gallbladder fire.
Modern Pharmacological Research
Modern pharmacological studies have found that Huang Lian possesses various pharmacological effects including anti-pathogenic microorganisms, anti-bacterial toxins, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anti-diarrheal, blood sugar lowering, anti-tumor, anti-myocardial ischemia, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-arrhythmic, anti-gastric ulcer, bile secretion promotion, liver protection, and anti-pancreatitis.
Precautions
Huang Lian is very cold; excessive long-term use can harm the spleen and stomach. Those with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold should avoid it. Its bitter and drying nature can harm yin fluids, so those with yin deficiency and fluid damage should use it cautiously.
References:
1. “Chinese Pharmacopoeia”
2. “Traditional Chinese Medicine”
3. “Dictionary of Chinese Medicine”
Related Statements:
1. This article is compiled and edited based on reference materials, intended for sharing and promoting health knowledge.
2. The prescriptions mentioned are for reference only; please use under the guidance of a qualified physician and do not self-medicate blindly.
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