Herbs that clear HeatHBR class 2

Herbs that clear Heat

•Function to clear interior heat, so range from Cool to very Cold

• Five subcategories:

•1. Drain Fire: Qi-level / Yangming Channel Heat; subcategory of brighten eyes

• Cold & Sweet - Generate fluids, relieve thirst in fevers, LU, ST

• Cold & Bitter - Clear fire from HT, LR

•2. Cool Blood -- tx Ying / Blood Heat, Bleeding, skin, mental sx d/t Blood Heat

• Cold, bitter, sweet, salty; LR, HT (associated w/Blood).

• Blood Heat -- heat damages Blood, so many nourish Blood/Yin.

•3. Clear Damp Heat - Damp Heat

• Bitter and cold, antibiotic action

•4. Relieve Toxin - Fire toxin

• Mostly bitter, anti-viral / anti-bacterial

•5. Clear Summer Heat

• Lighter quality, food-like, sweet, tx digestive function, fluids

Clear Heat, Drain Fire

• Shi Gao - Gypsum

• v. cold, sweet, acrid LU, ST

• A&I: Clears Qi-level/Yangming heat w/irritability and thirst. (Bai Hu Tang)

• Clears Lung and Stomach heat. (Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang, Yu Nu Jian)

• Topical for burns, sores, eczema.

• Decoct 20-30 min longer.

• C&C: Contraindicated for stomach cold, Yang or Yin def.

• 9-30 g

•Zhi Mu - Anemarrhena / Rz Anemarrhenae

•Cold, bitter, sweet LU, ST, K

•A&I: Clears Qi-level/Yangming heat. (Bai Hu Tang)

•Clears heat from deficiency, nourishes yin and moistens dryness. (Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan, Da Bu Yin Wan, Er Xian Tang)

•Treats cough d/t Lung heat. (Ren Shen Ge Jie San)

•C&C: Contraindicated in diarrhea due Spleen deficiency.

•Fry with salt to direct action to Kidneys

•6-12 g

•Zhi Zi - Gardenia fruit/ Fr Gardeniae

•Cold, bitter H, LR, LU, ST, TB

•A&I: Clears heat, relieves irritability. (Zhi Zi Chi Tang, Jia Wei Xiao Yao San)

•Drains damp-heat from all three Jiao. (Huang Lian Jie Du Tang)

•Cools blood and stops bleeding. (Shi Hui San)

•C&C: Contraindicated in diarrhea due Spleen deficiency.

•Char to stop bleeding. Crush before decocting.

•3-12 g

•Dan Zhu Ye - Bamboo Leaf/ Herba Lophatheri

•Cold, sweet, bland / H, SI, ST

•A&I: Clears heat in Heart & Stomach, relieves irritability, mouth sores, thirst. (Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang, Dao Chi San)

•Clears damp-heat, promotes urination. (San Ren Tang)

•C&C: Caution during pregnancy

•6-9 g

•Lian Zi Xin - Lotus Plumule / Plumula Nelumbinis

•Cold, bitter / H, PC

•A&I: Clears Heart fire, insomnia, irritability, delirium.

•Binds Essence, stops bleeding.

•C&C: Contraindicated in abdominal masses or constipation.

•1.5-6 g

•Lu Gen - Reed root / Rz Phragmitis

•Cold, sweet / LU, ST

•A&I: Clears heat, relieves irritability.

•Generates fluids, relieves thirst. (Yin Qiao San)

•Clears Lung & Stomach heat to stop cough or vomiting. (Wei Jing Tang)

•C&C: Caution in Stomach and Spleen deficiency cold.

•15-30 g

•Xia Ku Cao - Prunella spike / Spica Prunellae

•Cold, bitter, acrid / LR, GB

•A&I: Liver fire: Red, painful, watery eyes, Hypertension.

•Phlegm-fire swellings: scrofula, lipoma, swollen glands

•C&C: Caution in Stomach and Spleen deficiency.

•9-15 g

•Jue Ming Zi - Cassia seed / Sm Cassiae

•Cool, sweet, bitter / LR, K, LI

•A&I: Red itchy painful eyes d/t Liver fire or wind-heat. Moistens stool. Lowers BP & cholesterol.

• Interaction w/cannabis seeds Huomaren.

•C&C: Contraindicated for diarrhea, low BP.

•9-15 g

•Qing Xiang Zi - Celosia seed / Sm Celosiae

•Cool, sweet / LR

•A&I: Red itchy painful eyes, visual obstruction d/t Liver fire or wind-heat.

•Lowers BP.

•C&C: Contraindicated for glaucoma, Liver-Kidney deficiency.

•3-15 g

•Mi Meng Hua - Butterflybush flower / Fl Buddleiae

•Cool, sweet / LR

•A&I: Red itchy painful eyes, visual obstruction d/t either excess or deficiency.

•No contraindications noted

•3-9 g

Clear Heat, Cool Blood

•Xi Jiao - Rhinoceros horn / Cornu Rhinoceri

•Cold, bitter, salty / H, LR, ST

•A&I: Bleeding, skin eruptions, fever, delirium and convulsions d/t Ying- or Blood-level heat. (Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang, Qing Ying Tang)

•1-2 g powder, 1.5-6 g decoction

•Endangered species, cannot use

•Must substitute with Water Buffalo horn: Shui Niu Jiao, dose: 6-15g powder or 30-120g decoction.

•Sheng Di Huang - Fresh rehmannia root / Rx Rehmanniae

•Cold, sweet, bitter / H, K, LR

•A&I: Hi fever, thirst, bleeding d/t Ying- or Blood- heat. (Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang, Qing Ying Tang)

•Nourishes yin, clears def heat, generates fluids. (Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, Bai He Gu Jin Tang)

•Heart fire w/irritability, tongue sores. (Dao Chi San)

•Wasting-thirst.

•C&C: Contraindicated in spleen deficiency w/dampness, lack of appetite, phlegm in chest, diarrhea

•9-30 g

•Xuan Shen - Scrophularia / Rx Scrophulariae

•Cold, bitter, sweet, salty / K, LU, ST

•A&I: Hi fever, thirst d/t Blood heat. (Qing Ying Tang)

• Sore swollen throat. (Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin)

•Scrofula, subcutaneous nodules. (Xiao Lu Wan)

•Dry constipation. (Zeng Ye Tang)

•C&C: Contraindicated in spleen deficiency w/dampness, diarrhea

•9-30 g

•Mu Dan Pi - Moutan bark / Cx Moutan

•Cool, acrid, bitter / H, LR, K

•A&I: Bleeding d/t Blood-heat. (Shi Hui San, Qing Re Zhi Beng Tang))

•Moves blood stasis, treats menstrual problems, abdominal masses, trauma. (Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan)

•Clears heat from yin deficiency. (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, Qing Hao Bie Jia Tang)

•Liver Fire. (Jia Wei Xiao Yao San)

•C&C: Contraindicated for profuse menstruation or pregnancy, deficiency heat w/ profuse sweat, and for cold conditions.

•6-12 g

• Zi Cao - Lithospermum or Arnebia root / Rx Lithospermi seu Arnebiae

• Cold, sweet / H, LR

• A&I: Skin eruptions d/t heat toxin, stagnation, or non-venting. (Zi Yun Gao - Purple Cloud Ointment)

• Moistens the intestines.

• C&C: Contraindicated for Spleen def with diarrhea. Lithospermum banned in Germany for possible hepatotoxicity.

• 3-9 g

•Di Gu Pi - Lycium bark / Cx Lycii

•Cold, sweet / LU, LR, K

•A&I: Cough, wheezing d/t lung heat. (Xie Bai San)

•Steaming bone fever d/t def Yin. (Qing Gu San)

•Cools blood, stops bleeding.

•C&C: Contraindicated in exterior patterns or Spleen def cold w/diarrhea.

•6-15 g

•Bai Wei - Swallowwort root / Rx Cynanchi

•Cold, bitter, salty / LU, ST, K

•A&I: Post-partum fever d/t Yin def heat. Blood-heat urinary dysfunction, esp post-partum.

•No contraindications noted

•6-15 g

•Yin Chai Hu - Stellaria root / Rx Stellariae

•Cool, sweet / LR, ST

•A&I: Clears heat d/t deficient Yin. (Qing Gu San)

•Cools blood, stops bleeding.

•Clears heat in infants d/t malnutrition (gan).

•C&C: Contraindicated in Wind-cold, blood deficiency w/o fever.

•3-9 g

Clear Heat, Dry Dampness

•Huang Qin - Scutellaria root / Rx Scutellariae Baicalensis

•Cold, bitter / LU, LI, GB, ST

•A&I: Drains fire in upper jiao: cough. (Ding Chuan Tang, Qing Qi Hua Tan Tang)

•Clears damp heat: jaundice, dysentery/diarrhea, dysuria. (Huang Lian Jie Du Tang, Xie Xin Tang)

•Toxic sores. (Qing Wen Bai Du Yin)

•Liver Heat/Yang Rising. (Long Dan Xie Gan Tang, Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin)

•Bleeding d/t heat. (Qing Re Zhi Beng Tang)

•Calms fetus.

•C&C: Contraindicated in spleen & stomach def cold.

•Use raw to calm fetus, wine stir-fry to clear upper jiao heat, carbonize to stop bleeding.

•3-9 g

•Huang Lian - Coptis root / Rz Coptidis

•Cold, bitter / H, ST, LR, LI

•A&I: Fire toxin: hi fever, abcess, etc. (Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin, Qing Wen Bai Du Yin)

•Damp-heat in middle jiao: vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery. (Huang Lian Jie Du Tang, Xie Xin Tang, Ge Gen Qin Lian Tang, Bai Tou Weng Tang)

•Liver-stomach fire. (Zuo Jin Wan)

•Heart fire. (Zhu Sha An Shen Wan, Huang Lian E Jiao Tang)

•Topical: boils, mouth sores.

•C&C: Contraindicated in Sp & ST def cold or Yin def. Large dosage or long-term may weaken the stomach.

•1.5-9 g

•Huang Bai - Phellodendron bark / Cx Phellodendri

•Cold, bitter / K, UB

•A&I: Damp-heat in lower jiao: dysuria, leukorrhea, diarrhea, leg swelling. (Er Miao San, Huang Lian Jie Du Tang)

•Drains Yin deficiency fire. (Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan, Da Bu Yin Wan, Er Xian Tang)

•Damp heat skin: eczema, sores.

•C&C: Contraindicated in spleen & stomach def cold.

•3-12 g

•Long Dan Cao - Chinese gentian / Rx Gentianae

•Cold, bitter / GB, LR, ST

•A&I: Liver/GB damp-heat: jaundice, dysuria, leukorrhea, genital sores. Liver fire: headache, dizziness, red eyes. (Long Dan Xie Gan Tang)

•C&C: Contraindicated in SP & ST def cold.

•3-9 g

•Ku Shen - Sophora root / Rx Sophorae flavescentis

•Cold, bitter / UB, H, LR, LI, SI

•A&I: Damp heat: damp itchy skin sores, dysuria, leukorrhea, diarrhea. (Xiao Feng San)

•C&C: Contraindicated in SP & ST def cold. Often used topically.

•3-15 g

•Qin Pi - Fraxinus / Cx Fraxini

•Cold, bitter / GB, LI, LR, ST

•A&I: Toxic heat dysentery. (Bai Tou Weng Tang)

•Red eyes d/t Liver fire.

•C&C: Contraindicated in spleen & stomach def cold.

•4.5-15 g

•Hu Huang Lian - Picrorhiza / Rz Picrorhizae

•Cold, bitter / LR, ST, LI

•A&I: Damp heat dysentery.

•Yin def fire. (Qing Gu San)

•Child gan accumulation.

•C&C: Contraindicated in SP & SP def cold.

•3-9 g

Clear Heat, Relieve Toxicity

•Jin Yin Hua - Honeysuckle, Lonicera / Fl Lonicerae

•Cold, sweet / LU, LI, ST

•A&I: Wei-level heat in upper jiao. (Yin Qiao San)

•Toxic heat: abcesses in breast, throat, eye. (Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin)

•Damp-heat dysentery

•C&C: Contraindicated: sp & st def cold.

•9-15 g

• Lian Qiao - Forsythia fruit / Fr Forsythiae

• Cool, bitter, acrid / H, LR, GB

• A&I: Wei-level heat. (Yin Qiao San)

• Toxic heat sores, nodules. (Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin, Hai Zao Yu Hu Tang)

• Heat entering pericardium. (Qing Ying Tang)

• Ht fire. (Sheng Tie Luo Yin)

• C&C: Contraindicated: SP & ST Def Cold.

• 6-15 g

•Da Qing Ye - Isatis leaf / Fm Isatidis

•Very cold, bitter / H, LU, ST

•A&I: Acute epidemic/Warm disease/Fire toxin: hi fever, sore throat, skin eruptions. Viral or bacterial infections, hepatitis, salmonella.

•C&C: Contraindicated: SP & ST Def Cold.

•Leaves are source of Indigo (Qing Dai)

•9-30 g

•Ban Lan Gen - Isatis Root / Rx Isatidis

•Cold, bitter / H, LU, ST

•A&I: Viral illness/Warm disease: flu, mumps, encephalitis, toxic heat swelling, hepatitis, jaundice

•C&C: Contraindicated: SP & ST Def Cold.

•15-30 g

•Pu Gong Ying - Dandelion herb / Hb taraxaci

•Cold, bitter, sweet / LR, ST

•A&I: Various toxic heat patterns: throat, lung, GI. (Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin)

•Breast abcess, agalactia. Damp heat UT probs.

•OD may cause diarrhea, but generally considered very safe.

•9-30 g

•Zi Hua Di Ding - Viola / Hb Violae

•Cold, acrid, bitter / LR, H

•A&I: Toxic heat swellings & sores: sore throat, mumps, red eyes, abcesses esp head & back. (Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin)

•C&C: Contraindicated: SP & ST Def Cold.

•9-15 g

•Bai Jiang Cao - Patrinia / Hb + Rx Patriniae

•Sl cold, acrid, bitter / LI, LR, ST

•A&I: Toxic heat abcess, ext or int. Blood stasis d/t heat.

•C&C: Contraindicated: SP & ST Def Cold.

•9-15 g

•Yu Xing Cao - Houttuynia / Hb Houttuyniae

•Cool, acrid / LU, LI

•A&I: Lung abscess. Toxic heat sores. Damp-heat in lower jiao: diarrhea, dysuria.

•C&C: Contraindicated: SP & ST Def Cold. Soak 1 hour, boil 1-3 minutes.

•15-30 g

•Chuan Xin Lian - Green chiretta / Hb Andrographitis

•Cold, bitter/ LI, LU, ST, SI

•A&I: Onset of Warm febrile disease. Lung heat cough. Various toxic heat. Dysentery d/t damp-heat.

•C&C: Contraindicated: SP & ST Def Cold. Not for long-term use. Contraindicated in pregnancy.

•9-15 g

•Bai Hua She She Cao - Oldenlandia / Hb Hedyotidis

•Cold, bitter, sweet / LI, LR, ST

•A&I: Toxic heat abcess, ext or int. Damp-heat UT probs or jaundice. Various cancers.

•C&C: Caution in pregnancy.

•15-60 g

•Bai Tou Weng - Pulsatilla root / Rx Pulsatillae

•Cold, bitter / LI, LR, ST

•A&I: Dysentery w/blood & pus, tenesmus. (Bai Tou Weng Tang)

•C&C: Not for chronic dysentery.

•6-15 g

•Bai Xian Pi - Dittany bark/ Cx Dictamni

•Cold, bitter, salty / SP, ST

•A&I: Wind/damp/heat/toxic skin lesions w/itching, weeping or pus.

•C&C: Contraindicated: SP & ST Def Cold.

•6-9 g

•Ban Zhi Lian - Hb Scutellariae Barbatae

•Cold, acrid, bitter / LI, LR, LU, ST

•A&I: Toxic heat abcess, ext or int. Invigorates blood. Various cancers.

•C&C: Caution in pregnancy or blood def.

•15-60 g

•Ma Bo - Puffball / Fr Lasiospherae

•Neutral, acrid / LU

•A&I: Sore swollen throat w/loss of voice, oral sores w/bleeding. (Yin Qiao Ma Bo San)

•Decoct in cheesecloth, use powdered topically.

•1.5-4.5 g

•Shan Dou Gen - Rx Sophorae Tonkinensis

•Cold, bitter / LU, LI

•A&I: Sore swollen throat d/t fire toxin.

•C&C: Contraindicated: SP & ST Def Cold.

•3-9 g

•She Gan - Belamcanda / Rz Belamcandae

•Cold, bitter / LU

•A&I: Sore swollen throat d/t fire toxin. Phlegm heat in lungs.

•C&C: Contraindicated in SP def cold, pregnancy.

•1.5-9 g

Clear Summerheat

• He Ye - Lotus Leaf / Fm Nelumbinis

• Neutral, bitter, sl sweet / H, LR, SP

• A&I: Clears summerheat, drains damp. Diarrhea d/t summerheat-damp. (Qing Luo Yin)

• Stops bleeding: bloody stool, vomiting, profuse menstruum. (Si Sheng Wan, Shi Hui San)

• Recently used to tx obesity.

• C&C: Contraindicated for bleeding d/t cold or deficiency.

• 9-15 g

• Lu Dou - Mung Bean / Sm Phaseoli

• Cool, sweet / H, ST

• A&I: Clears summerheat, generates fluids: fever, irritability, thirst.

• Antidote for aconite Fu zi, various other toxic materials.

• C&C: Contraindicated for diarrhea d/t cold or deficiency.

• 15-30g; 120 g for poison

• Xi Gua - Watermelon / Fr Citrulli

• Cold, sweet / UB, H, ST

• A&I: Clears summerheat, generates fluids: fever, irritability, thirst, lack of urine, dry heaves. (Qing Luo Yin, Qing Shu Yi QI Tang)

• Drains damp-heat: jaundice.

• C&C: Contraindicated for damp-cold, middle jiao cold deficiency.

• 15-30 g; 1 cup fresh juice

• Bian Dou - Lablab / Sm Dolichoros Lablab

• Neutral, sweet / SP, ST

• A&I: Diarrhea, vomit d/t summerheat-damp. (Qing Luo Yin)

• Strengthens Spleen: sp def diarrhea, lo appetite, leukorrhea. (Shen Ling Bai Zhu San)

• C&C: Contraindicated in cold patterns.

• Raw for summerheat, dry-fry for Sp def.

• 9-21 g

• Qing Hao - Sweet wormwood / Herba artemisiae annuae

• Cold, bitter / K, LR, GB

• A&I: Low fever d/t summerheat or deficient yin w/smoldering heat. (Qing Hao Bie Jia San, Qing Gu San)

• Cools blood. Relieves malaria. (Hao Qin Qing Dan Tang)

• C&C: Contraindicated in def cold patterns or post-partum blood def.

• Not to be boiled long time.

• 3-9 g

Purgatives (Downward Draining)

•All enter LI

•Three categories:

•Attacking (Purging)

•Moistening

•Cathartic

•Attacking - generally bitter and cold, strongly stimulate intestinal peristalsis.

•Similar to Drain Fire / Clear Damp Heat herbs + LI purge.

•Used in Interior-Excess-Heat with abdominal stagnation.

•Constipation most common, may also use in Interior-Excess-Heat diarrhea.

•Can use for Interior-Excess-Cold if combined with acrid hot herbs.

•Moistening - lubricate intestines, relatively mild, high oil content.

•Use for constipation due to Intestinal Dryness, Yin- Blood Deficiency

•Cathartics - pull water into bowel, like "flushing a toilet", very violent action.

•Used for intestinal blockage, severe edema / ascites in chest or abdomen.

•Da Huang - Rhubarb / Rx et Rz rhei

•cold, bitter / H, LI, LR, ST

•A&I: Constipation d/t GI heat bind/ Yangming Organ Pattern. (Da Cheng Qi Tang)

•Blood stasis: amenorrhea, postpartum ab pain/lochia, ab masses, abcesses, trauma. (Tao He Cheng Qi Tang)

•Damp-heat dysentery, jaundice, dysuria. (Xie Xin Tang)

•Burns, skin lesions: use topically.

•C&C: Contraindicated: Ext pattern, qi/ bl def, breastfeeding. Caution: pregnancy, menstruation.

•Raw: constipation. Wine-fry: move blood. Char: hemorrhage.

•Overboiling weakens purgation function.

•3-12 g

•Mang Xiao - Mirabilite / Natrii Sulfas

•cold, salty, bitter / ST, LI

•A&I: Constipation d/t GI heat bind/ Yangming Organ Pattern, esp dry stool (osmotic laxative). (Da Cheng Qi Tang)

•Topical: sore throat, mouth ulcer, boils.

•C&C: Contraindicated: sp/st def cold, pregnancy.

•3-9g dissolve into strained decoction

•Fan Xie Ye - Senna leaf / Fm Sennae

•cold, sweet, bitter / LI

•A&I: Constipation d/t LI heat

•C&C: Contraindicated during menstruation, lactation and pregnancy.

•3-9 g

•Lu Hui - Aloe vera

•cold, bitter / LI, LR, ST

•A&I: Constipation + liver fire: red eyes, dizziness, headache, irritability. (Dang Gui Long Hui Wan)

•Gan accumulation w/worms roundworm, ringworm. (Bu Dai Wan)

•C&C: Contraindicated: bleeding d/t qi def, pregnancy, menstruation.

•Pill or powder: 0.3-1.5 g

•Huo Ma Ren - Hemp seed / Fr Cannabis

•neutral, sweet / LI, SP, ST

•A&I: Constipation d/t dryness, blood or yin def, post-febrile. (Ma Zi Ren Wan)

•C&C: OD or long term causes vaginal discharge, spermatorrhea.

•9-15 g

•Yu Li Ren - Bush-cherry seed / Sm pruni

•neutral, acrid, bitter / LI, SI, SP

•A&I: Constipation d/t dryness + qi stagnation, or w/inhibited urination, edema.

•Crush before use

•C&C: Caution: pregnancy, yin def.

•3-9 g

• Gan Sui - Kansui root / Rx kansui

• cold, bitter, sweet, toxic / K, LI, LU

• A&I: Drives out water thru stool: edema, ascites, fluid retention in chest. (Shi Zao Tang)

• Topical for toxic heat skin swellings, nodules.

• Best used in pill and powder form.

• C&C: Contraindicated during pregnancy. Do not use w/Licorice Gan Cao. Only for severe excess patterns.

• Pill or powder: 0.3-1 g

• Da Ji - Euphorbia root / Rx Euphorbiae

• cold, bitter, acrid, toxic / K, LI, LU

• A&I: Fluid or phlegm accumulation in chest w/pain, cough. Topical for boils, scrofula, sores, nodules.

• C&C: Contraindicated during pregnancy. Do not use w/Licorice Gancao. C&C: Caution in weak patients.

• 1.5-3 g

•Yuan Hua - Genkwa flower / Fl Genkwa

•warm, acrid, bitter, toxic / K, LI, LU

•A&I: Drives out water: fluid retention in chest and abdomen. (Shi Zao Tang)

•Topical: kill ringworm.

•C&C: Contraindicated during pregnancy and in weak patients.

•1.5-3 g