Exploring Cold Damage: Weekly Herb
Lian Qiao (Forsythia)
Effects of Lian Qiao
【Source】The dried fruit of the plant Forsythia suspensa, harvested in early autumn when the fruit is still green (before the White Dew solar term), cleaned of impurities, steamed, and dried, commonly referred to as “Qing Qiao”; harvested when the fruit is fully ripe (before the Cold Dew solar term), dried, cleaned of impurities, commonly referred to as “Lao Qiao”.
【Alias】Lian Ke, Qing Qiao, Luo Qiao.
【Nature and Flavor】Bitter in taste, slightly cold in nature.
【Meridian Entry】Enters the Lung, Heart, and Small Intestine meridians.
【Functions】Clears heat and detoxifies, reduces swelling and disperses nodules, disperses wind-heat.
【Indications】
1.Exogenous febrile diseases, wind-heat exterior syndrome;
2.Boils, carbuncles, toxic sores, lung abscess, scrofula with phlegm nodules;
3.Heat stranguria with pain;
【Cautions】Contraindicated in cases of spleen and stomach deficiency, qi deficiency with fever, and in cases of abscesses that have already ruptured with thin, pale pus.
【Dosage】6–15g.
Application of Lian Qiao in the Treatise on Cold Damage
【Original Text from the Treatise on Cold Damage】When there is stagnant heat inside, the body will turn yellow; the formula Ma Huang Lian Qiao Chi Xiao Dou Tang is used to treat this.
【Formula Composition】Ma Huang (Ephedra) 2 liang (remove nodes), Lian Qiao 2 liang, Xing Ren (Apricot Kernel) 40 pieces (remove skin and tip), Chi Xiao Dou (Adzuki Bean) 1 sheng, Da Zao (Jujube) 12 pieces, Sheng Zi Bai Pi (Mulberry Bark) 1 sheng (sliced), Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger) 2 liang (nodes), Gan Cao (Licorice) 2 liang (roasted).
【Compatibility】1. Lian Qiao with Bei Mu (Fritillaria): Lian Qiao is good at clearing heat and dispelling fire, reducing swelling and dispersing nodules, while Bei Mu can clear heat, transform phlegm, and relieve stagnation. Together, they can clear heat, dispel fire, transform phlegm, and reduce swelling, suitable for symptoms caused by phlegm-fire stagnation;
2. Lian Qiao with Jin Yin Hua (Honeysuckle): Both Lian Qiao and Jin Yin Hua are commonly used heat-clearing and detoxifying herbs, which can disperse exterior heat and clear interior heat to detoxify, mainly suitable for treating exogenous wind-heat and initial stages of warm diseases, showing good effects;
3. Lian Qiao with Zhi Zi (Gardenia): Lian Qiao is light and cooling, excels at clearing the heart and dispelling fire, while Zhi Zi can clear the heart, lung, and San Jiao fire and promote urination. Together, they can clear the heart, relieve irritability, cool the blood, and detoxify, suitable for high fever with delirium, sores on the tongue and mouth, and painful, short, red urination with damp-heat jaundice.
4. Lian Qiao with Niu Bang Zi (Burdock Seed): Lian Qiao clears heat and detoxifies, disperses nodules; Niu Bang Zi disperses wind-heat, clears heat, benefits the throat, and detoxifies. Together, they can disperse wind, clear heat, benefit the throat, and detoxify, used for treating sore throat due to internal heat toxin, mumps, and carbuncles;
5. Lian Qiao with Tian Hua Fen (Trichosanthes Root) and Pu Gong Ying (Dandelion): Lian Qiao detoxifies, disperses nodules, and reduces abscesses; Tian Hua Fen detoxifies, reduces swelling, and drains pus; Pu Gong Ying is bitter and cold, clears heat and detoxifies. Together, these three herbs can detoxify and heal sores, used for treating red, swollen, and painful breast abscesses due to heat toxin;
6. Lian Qiao with Xia Ku Cao (Selfheal): Lian Qiao detoxifies and disperses nodules; Xia Ku Cao clears the liver and disperses nodules. Together, they can enhance the ability to clear heat and disperse nodules, used for treating scrofula and phlegm nodules;
7. Lian Qiao with Zhu Ye (Bamboo Leaf): Lian Qiao clears heart fire and detoxifies sores; Zhu Ye clears heart fire and promotes urination. Together, they can clear heart fire, detoxify, and promote urination, used for treating heart fire with irritability, sores in the mouth and tongue, and painful, short, red urination.
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Text edited by: Jin Haiyan Article reviewed by: Zhang Yahui, Zhang Tang This week’s herbal sharing: Hu Yule
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