This chapter discusses 清热解毒药 (Qīngrè Jiědú Yào) or clearing heat and detoxifying herbs, with 金银花 (Jīn Yín Huā, Honeysuckle) being the first that comes to mind. We often brew it as tea, and along with it, we have its partner 连翘 (Lián Qiáo, Forsythia), 板蓝根 (Bǎn Lán Gēn, Isatis Root), and what we refer to as 老鼠屎 (Lǎo Shǔ Shǐ, Euphorbia).
金银花 (Jīn Yín Huā, Honeysuckle) is a very common herb from the Caprifoliaceae family, also known as 二花 (Èr Huā, Two Flowers) or 双花 (Shuāng Huā, Double Flowers). Current tests show that the content of chlorogenic acid should not be less than 15%.
Properties: Sweet, Cold, enters the Lung and Heart meridians.
Functions: Clears heat and detoxifies, disperses wind-heat.
金银花 can be used in all stages of warm-heat diseases, including the 卫分 (Wèi Fēn, Defensive Stage), 气分 (Qì Fēn, Qi Stage), 营分 (Yíng Fēn, Nutritive Stage), and 血分 (Xuè Fēn, Blood Stage).
In the 卫分 stage, it acts as both a clearing heat and detoxifying herb and a disperser of wind-cold, as seen in the formula 银翘散 (Yín Qiáo Sǎn).
In the 气分 stage, it can clear heat and detoxify, as well as clear heat and drain fire (for Heart heat and Lung heat).
In the 营分 and 血分 stages, besides clearing heat and detoxifying, it also has the effect of cooling the blood.
Additionally, 金银花 is effective for treating sores, carbuncles, sore throat, dysentery, and clearing summer heat.
连翘 (Lián Qiáo, Forsythia)
连翘 comes from the Oleaceae family, and due to different harvesting times, there are 青翘 (Qīng Qiáo, Green Forsythia) and 老翘 (Lǎo Qiáo, Old Forsythia), with the quality of 青翘 being superior to that of 老翘.
Properties: Bitter, Slightly Cold, enters the Lung, Heart, and Small Intestine meridians.
Functions: Clears heat and detoxifies, disperses wind-heat, reduces swelling and dissipates nodules.
金银花 and 连翘 have similar effects and are often used together.
However, 连翘 does not have the effect of cooling blood or clearing summer heat.
For treating sores and carbuncles, it is particularly effective in entering the Heart meridian, and is considered a sacred herb for clearing the Heart and detoxifying.
Generally, 金银花 is regarded as a flower herb, better at dispersing exterior pathogens than 连翘, making it more suitable for the 卫分 stage or wind-heat exterior syndrome, while 连翘 excels in clearing the Heart and detoxifying.
In addition, 连翘 can be used for painful urinary syndrome and to reduce swelling and dissipate nodules.
板蓝根 (Bǎn Lán Gēn, Isatis Root), 大青叶 (Dà Qīng Yè, Isatis Leaf), 青黛 (Qīng Dài, Indigo)
Let’s briefly compare 板蓝根, 大青叶, and 青黛. All three originate from the same source and have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, as well as cooling blood and reducing spots.
However, 大青叶 has a stronger effect in cooling blood and reducing spots.
板蓝根 is particularly effective in detoxifying, soothing the throat, and dissipating nodules.
青黛 excels in calming the liver and stopping tremors.
贯众 (Guàn Zhòng, Euphorbia)
It comes from the dry rhizome and leaf stalk residues of the 鳞毛蕨科 (Lín Máo Jué Kē, Dryopteridaceae) plant.
Properties: Bitter, Slightly Cold, slightly toxic, enters the Liver and Stomach meridians.
Functions: Clears heat and detoxifies, cools blood and stops bleeding, expels parasites.
For clearing heat and detoxifying, it can be used in all stages of wind-heat colds and warm-heat diseases, and has certain antiviral effects.
For cooling blood and stopping bleeding, it has a strong contraction effect on the uterus, used for blood-heat conditions, postpartum bleeding, and excessive menstruation.
For expelling parasites, its side effects are too strong and it is no longer used.
Notes
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