There are many types of heat-clearing medicines. Below is a summary of commonly used heat-clearing traditional Chinese medicinal formulas, categorized into seven types: heat-clearing and fire-purging medicines, heat-clearing and detoxifying medicines, heat-clearing and lung-regulating medicines, liver-clearing and detoxifying medicines, liver and gallbladder heat-clearing medicines, gastrointestinal heat-clearing medicines, and heat-clearing and sedative medicines; this categorization helps everyone have a clearer understanding of heat-clearing traditional Chinese medicinal formulas, promoting proper use and preventing misuse.

1. Heat-Clearing and Fire-Purging Medicines

As the name suggests, these are primarily aimed at symptoms caused by excessive heat and fire; they are used to dispel fire, similar to inflammation in modern medicine, characterized by redness and heat. Common symptoms include red eyes, toothache, headache, burning throat, and mouth ulcers. When heat depletes body fluids, symptoms such as dry stools and burning sensations in the anus may occur.

Usage Note: Heat-clearing and fire-purging medicines are often bitter and cold, suitable for individuals with strong body heat, but should be used cautiously as they can harm the stomach and intestines, leading to diarrhea, stomach chill, loss of appetite, and thick tongue coating. Those with weak constitutions or poor spleen and stomach function should avoid blind use of these medicines.

Heat-Clearing and Fire-Purging Medicines

2. Heat-Clearing and Detoxifying Medicines

This type of medicine primarily addresses conditions caused by heat toxins, corresponding to inflammation in modern medicine, characterized by swelling and pain. Heat-clearing and detoxifying medicines share many similarities with heat-clearing and fire-purging medicines, with detoxification as the main focus and fire-purging as secondary; heat-clearing and fire-purging medicines primarily focus on purging fire, which assists in detoxification. One is for heavy heat toxins, while the other is for heavy fire heat.

Heat-Clearing and Detoxifying Medicines

Heat-Clearing and Detoxifying Medicines

Heat-Clearing and Detoxifying Medicines

Heat-Clearing and Detoxifying Medicines

3. Heat-Clearing and Lung-Regulating Medicines

This type of formula primarily clears heat and transforms phlegm, regulates the lungs, and stops cough. It is commonly used to treat phlegm-heat cough in traditional Chinese medicine, with symptoms including cough, yellow phlegm, throat discomfort, dry mouth and throat, and constipation. This is similar to upper respiratory infections in modern medicine, with heat symptoms present in bacterial, viral, and mycoplasma infections.

Clearing lung heat to treat cough requires accurate differentiation. Traditional Chinese medicine states: “All organs can cause coughing.” Although the cough is in the lungs, dysfunction in the five organs can also directly or indirectly cause coughing. Additionally, the lungs prefer cool and dislike dryness; often, coughing is the lung’s way of expelling evil qi. Therefore, treatment should focus on restoring the lung’s ability to disperse and descend, rather than simply suppressing the cough, especially in the early stages of a cold, as suppressing the cough can lead to cold, damp phlegm stagnation in the lungs, resulting in chronic bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema.

Heat-Clearing and Lung-Regulating Medicines

4. Liver-Clearing and Detoxifying Medicines

This type of formula primarily addresses liver damage caused by “viruses” and “drug toxins,” used to eliminate liver toxins, lower transaminases, and protect liver cells from damage. It is commonly used for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, drug-induced liver injury, and liver cirrhosis. The liver is an important digestive organ; traditional Chinese medicine states that understanding liver disease involves knowing its connection to the spleen, thus these medicines often contain ingredients that soothe the liver, regulate qi, and strengthen the spleen to prevent long-term liver disease from affecting spleen and stomach function, leading to liver-spleen disharmony.

Liver-Clearing and Detoxifying Medicines

Liver-Clearing and Detoxifying Medicines

5. Liver and Gallbladder Heat-Clearing Medicines

This type of medicine primarily clears damp-heat, soothes the liver, and promotes bile flow; it addresses jaundice, liver cell damage, and acute or chronic hepatitis caused by damp-heat accumulation in the liver and gallbladder, with symptoms including yellowing of the eyes and skin, abdominal distension, poor appetite, bitter and sticky mouth, excessive and sticky sweat, yellow and greasy tongue coating, and aversion to oily foods.

Liver and Gallbladder Heat-Clearing Medicines

Liver and Gallbladder Heat-Clearing Medicines

6. Gastrointestinal Heat-Clearing Medicines

This type of medicine primarily addresses abdominal pain and diarrhea caused by gastrointestinal damp-heat; it is similar to enteritis in modern medicine, commonly referred to as diarrhea, as well as dysentery (stools mixed with mucus or pus and blood). These conditions are more common in spring and summer due to the prevalence of heat in spring and humidity in summer, making damp-heat more likely to invade the gastrointestinal tract.

Gastrointestinal Heat-Clearing Medicines

Gastrointestinal Heat-Clearing Medicines

7. Heat-Clearing and Sedative Medicines

This type of medicine primarily calms the heart and soothes the spirit, addressing symptoms such as mania, insomnia, high fever with convulsions, confusion, and dizziness caused by phlegm-heat disturbing the heart. This is similar to mental disorders in modern medicine, including high fever with seizures and altered consciousness. In cases of cerebral infarction or stroke with heat symptoms, this category also applies.

Heat-Clearing and Sedative Medicines

The human body is like water boiling in a pot, maintaining a constant temperature of around 36.5°C. When heat rises, one must first discern whether it is due to excessive fire or insufficient water. If it is excessive fire, the above seven methods can be used to clear heat; if it is insufficient water, one must add water to the pot, which is considered deficiency fire, requiring yin-nourishing and fire-reducing treatments. Therefore, before using heat-clearing medicines, it is essential to differentiate whether the body has excess fire or deficiency fire.

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