Herbs that clear the heatHerbs that clear the heat
Clear Heat & drain fire herbs:Clear Heat & drain fire herbs:
Shi GaoShi Gao Zhi MuZhi Mu Zhi ZiZhi Zi Lu GenLu Gen Tian Hua FenTian Hua Fen
Xia Ku CaoXia Ku Cao Jue Ming ZiJue Ming Zi Dan Zhu YeDan Zhu Ye
Clear Heat & Cool Blood HerbsClear Heat & Cool Blood Herbs
Shui Niu JiaoShui Niu Jiao Sheng Di HuangSheng Di Huang Xuan ShenXuan Shen Mu Dan PiMu Dan Pi Zi CaoZi Cao
Heat ( Excess )
High Fever, no chills, irritability, scanty, dark urine, yellow tongue coating, red High Fever, no chills, irritability, scanty, dark urine, yellow tongue coating, red tongue with rapid pulsetongue with rapid pulse
Enter Lung & St. channel Shi Gao; Zhi Mu; Zhi Zi; Lu Gen; Tian Hua FenShi Gao; Zhi Mu; Zhi Zi; Lu Gen; Tian Hua Fen
Treat Eye disease Xia Ku Cao; Jue Ming ZiXia Ku Cao; Jue Ming Zi
Clear heart heat Dan Zu YeDan Zu Ye
Cool Blood
Enter Heart & Liver Sheng Di Huang; Mu Dan Pi; Zi Cao Gen; Chi Sheng Di Huang; Mu Dan Pi; Zi Cao Gen; Chi Shao; Shui Niu JiaoShao; Shui Niu Jiao
Clear Heat & Drain fire herbsClear Heat & Drain fire herbsPart OnePart One
Agents which enter the Lung & Stomach channels to Agents which enter the Lung & Stomach channels to Clear heat & drain fireClear heat & drain fire
Shi Gao Shi Gao 石膏石膏Zhi Mu Zhi Mu 知母知母Zhi Zi Zhi Zi 梔子梔子Lu Gen Lu Gen 蘆根蘆根
Tian Hua Fen Tian Hua Fen 天花粉天花粉
Shi Gao Shi Gao 石膏石膏
White ice-berg like mineralWhite ice-berg like mineralDistinct lookDistinct look
Pharmaceutical Name Gypsum
Actions
Clear heat & drains fire
Clear excess lung heat
Clear Stomach fire
Clear skin fire toxin
Indications
(Excess)
High fever in Qi level
Cough & wheezing with fever and thick yellow sputum
Headache, toothache due to St. fire
Eczema, burns and ulcerated sores
Dosage 15 – 60g
Cook Add first
Toxic dosage
Contraindications Heat due to Yin Def. Or cold disease
Shi Gao (very Cold)石 膏
Combinations
Indications Formular
Zhi Mu 知母 Fever in Qi levelBai Hu Tang
白虎湯Shu Di Huang
熟地黃Headache & toothache& thirsty
due to Yin def. type of heatQin Wei San
清胃散Zhi Zi 梔子 High fever
Ma Huang 麻黃 Cough or wheezing due to lung heat
Ma Xin Shi Gan Tang
麻辛石甘湯
Sheng Ma 升麻 Vertex headache & toothache
Huang Bai 黃柏 Open skin sores, eczema & burns
Shi Gao (very Cold)石 膏
Zhi Mu Zhi Mu 知母知母
Slices of flexible fibrous rootSlices of flexible fibrous rootYellow white on the insideYellow white on the insideOrange brown with lines outsideOrange brown with lines outsideDistinct lookDistinct look
Pharmaceutical Name Anemarrhenae Asphodeloidis, Rhizoma
Actions
Clears heat & drains fire
Enriches the Yin & moistens dryness
Generates fluids & clear heat
Ameliorates the dryness of tonifying or warming substances
Indications
( Excess or Def. )
Excess heat in Lu. & St.
Yin def. type of fever
Thirst & irritability due to Lu. & St.
Diabetes II
Dosage 6 ~ 12 g
Cook
Toxic Sym.
Zhi Mu Zhi Mu (Cold)(Cold)知 母知 母
Contraindications Cold or diarrhea
Combinations
Indications Formular
Shi Gao 石膏 Qi level fever Bai Hu Tang 白虎湯Bei Mu 貝母
Sha shen 沙參Cough due to lung Yin def. or
dryness
Huang Bai 黃柏 Fever due to Yin def.Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan知柏地黃丸
Huang Qin 黃芩 Cough due to lung heat
Tian Hua Fen
天花粉 Diabetes
Bie Jia 鱉甲 Steaming bone disorder
Zhi Mu Zhi Mu (Cold)(Cold)知 母知 母
Zhi Zi Zhi Zi 梔子梔子
Brittle burnt-orange coloredBrittle burnt-orange colored
Paper lantern likePaper lantern like
Distinct lookDistinct look
Pharmaceutical Name Gardenia Jasminoides Fructus
Actions
Drains fire and eliminate irritability
Clears heat & resolves dampness
Cools the blood & resolves toxicity
Reduces swelling & moves blood stasis due to truma
Indications
(Excess)
Fever, irritability
Painful urinary dribbling due to damp heat
Blood sym.
Injury
Dosage 6 ~ 9 g
Cook
Toxic Sym.With normal dosage range, no side effects are to be expected. There have been two reports of allergic skin reactions
Zhi ZiZhi Zi (Cold) (Cold) 梔 子梔 子
ContraindicationsDef. or weakness of the Sp. & St.
Blood def.
Combinations
Indications Formular
Zhi Mu 知母 Fever with insomnia & irritability
Bai Mao Gen
白茅根 Bleeding sym. Xiao Ji Yin Zi 小薊飲子
Jiang Zhi 姜汁 Stomach ache due to St. heat
Jiang Huang 姜黃 Liver & GB. Disease
Huang Bai 黃柏 Yang Jaundice
Mu Dan Pi 牡丹皮 Steaming lower fever
Dan Dou Chi 淡豆豉 Irritability & insomnia Zhi Chi Tang 梔豉湯Suan Zhao Ren 酸棗
仁 Insomnia
Zhi ZiZhi Zi (Cold) (Cold) 梔 子梔 子
Lu Gen Lu Gen 蘆根蘆根
Fattened, hollow, yellow reedFattened, hollow, yellow reed
Distinct lookDistinct look
Pharmaceutical Name Phragmitis Rhizoma
Actions
Clears heat & generates fluids
Clears heat & promotes urination
Encourage rashes to surface
Indications
(Excess)
Fever with irritability & thirsty
Dark, scanty urine or blood in the urine
Lung heat type coughing
Rashes
Dosage 15 ~ 30 g
Cook
Toxic Sym. none
Lu GenLu Gen (Cold) (Cold)蘆 根蘆 根
Contraindications Cold disease
Combinations
Indications Formular
Sang Ye 桑葉 Wind heat exterior diseaseSang Ju Yin桑菊飲
Zhu Ru 竹茹 Vomiting due to St. heat up
Mai Dong 麥冬 High fever caused thirsty
Xing Ren 杏仁Pi Pa Ye 枇杷葉
Lung Heat type coughing with yellow sputum
Ge Gen 葛根 Rashes
Lu GenLu Gen (Cold) (Cold)蘆 根蘆 根
Tian Hua Fen Tian Hua Fen 天花粉天花粉
FFlat white rootlat white rootDistinct bitter tasteDistinct bitter tasteCompare with : Shan Yao; Compare with : Shan Yao; Ge Gen; Fu LingGe Gen; Fu Ling
Pharmaceutical Name Trichosanthis Radix
Actions
Drains heat & generate fluids
Clears and drains lung heat
Resolves toxicity and expel pus
Indications
(Excess & def. )
Fever disease with thirsty
Diabetes
Lung heat type couging
Dosage 10 ~ 15 g
Cook
Toxic Sym. Allergic reaction
Tian Hua Fen Tian Hua Fen 天花粉天花粉
(Cold)(Cold)
ContraindicationsPregnant women
Def. type of cold disease
Combinations
Indications Formular
Lu Gen 蘆根 Fever & thirsty
Zhi Mu 知母 Diabetes
Bei Mu 貝母 Lung heat type coughing
Jing Yin Hua 金銀花 Hot toxic carbuncles and sores
Mai Dong 麥冬 Nourish yin
Tian Hua Fen Tian Hua Fen 天花粉天花粉
(Cold)(Cold)
Clear Heat & Drain fire herbsClear Heat & Drain fire herbsPart twoPart two
Agents which enter the Liver channel to clear heat & Agents which enter the Liver channel to clear heat & drain fire & treat the eye problems.drain fire & treat the eye problems.
Xia Ku Cao Xia Ku Cao Jue Ming Zi Jue Ming Zi
Xia Ku Cao Xia Ku Cao 夏枯草夏枯草
Dark purplish brown spikeDark purplish brown spike
Distinct lookDistinct lookCompare with Jing JieCompare with Jing Jie
Pharmaceutical Name Prunellae Spca
Actions
Clears liver fire & brightens the eyes
Clears heat & dissipates nodules
Indications
(Excess)
Red painful swollen eyes
Neck lump or nodules
Hypertension ( liver fire )
Dosage 9~ 15 g
Toxic Sym. Allergy reaction; swollen lips and throat, nausea, vomiting
Xia Ku Cao (Cold)Xia Ku Cao (Cold) 夏枯草夏枯草
Contraindications Spleen & St. def.
Combinations
Indications Formular
Niu Xi 牛膝Long Dan Cao 龍膽
草Hypertension
Shi Jue Ming 石決明
Jue Ming Zi 決明子Red & painful eyes
Ju Hua 菊花Chan Tui 蟬蛻
Red & tearing painful eyes due to wind heat
Xuan Shen 玄參Mu Li 牡蠣 Neck lump or nodule
Ban Xia 半夏 Insomnia
Xia Ku Cao (Cold)Xia Ku Cao (Cold) 夏枯草夏枯草
Jue Ming Zi Jue Ming Zi 決明子決明子
Purple-brown, hard, angular seedPurple-brown, hard, angular seed
Distinct lookDistinct look
Pharmaceutical Name Cassiae Semen
Actions
Clears the liver & eyes
Calms the liver Yang
Moistens the intestine & unblock the bowels
Indications
(Excess & Def.)
Red swollen and painful eyes
Headache & dizziness ( Liver Yang up)
Chronic constipation ( Liver Yin def. )
Hypertension
Dosage 9 ~ 15 g
Cook
Toxic Sym.Allergic reactions: numb sensation on the lips & tongue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain & diarrhea
Jue Ming Zi Jue Ming Zi 決明子決明子 (slightly cold )(slightly cold )
ContraindicationsDiarrhea
Low blood pressure
Combinations
Indications Formular
Ju Hua 菊 花Man Jing zi 曼荊子
Mu Zei 木賊
Acute red & painful eye disease
Jue Ming Zi San 決明子散
Gou Qi Zi 枸杞子 Vision degeneration
Shi Jue Ming 石決明 Hypertension
Dang Gui 當歸 Constipation due to lack of fluid in LI.
Chuan Xiong 川芎 Headache
Xia Ku Cao 夏枯草 Pain eyes due to liver Yang up
Jue Ming Zi Jue Ming Zi 決明子決明子 (slightly cold )(slightly cold )
Clear Heat & Drain fire herbsClear Heat & Drain fire herbsPart threePart three
Agents which enter the heart channel to clear heat and Agents which enter the heart channel to clear heat and drain firedrain fire
Dan Zhu Ye Dan Zhu Ye 淡竹葉淡竹葉
Dan Zhu YeDan Zhu Ye淡竹葉淡竹葉
Flat green reed-likeFlat green reed-like
Distinct lookDistinct look
Pharmaceutical Name Lophateri Herba
Actions
Clears heat in Heart, Stomach & Small Intestine
Promotes urination
Clears damp-heat
Indications
(Excess)
Irritability & thirsty
Rough, scanty, painful urination
Wind-heat
Dosage 6 ~ 9 g
Cook
Toxic Sym. none
Dan Zhu Ye Dan Zhu Ye (Cold)(Cold)淡竹葉淡竹葉
Contraindications None noted
Combinations
Indications Formular
Jin Ying Hua 金銀花Lian Qiao 連翹 Exterior wind heat
Shi Gao 石膏Mai dong 麥冬 Late-stage febrile disease
Tian Hua Fen 天花粉 Thirsty after febrile disease
Mu tong 木通Sheng Di Huang 生地黃 Heart heat sym.
Dan Zhu Ye Dan Zhu Ye (Cold)(Cold)淡竹葉淡竹葉
Clear Heat & Cool bloodClear Heat & Cool blood
Agents which enter the heart & liver channels to clear Agents which enter the heart & liver channels to clear heat and cool bloodheat and cool blood
Sheng Di Huang Sheng Di Huang 生地黃生地黃
Mu Dan Pi Mu Dan Pi 牡丹皮牡丹皮
Zi Cao Zi Cao 紫草紫草Chi Shao Chi Shao 赤芍赤芍
Shui Niu Jiao Shui Niu Jiao 水牛角水牛角
Sheng Di Huang Sheng Di Huang 生地黃生地黃
Black, flat, round, sticky with lighter blotches; usually brown on one side.Black, flat, round, sticky with lighter blotches; usually brown on one side.
Distinct lookDistinct look
Pharmaceutical Name Rehmanniae Radix
Actions
Clears heat
Cool the blood
Nourishes the Yin & generates fluids
Indications
(Excess & Def.)
Warm-heat pathogen disease
Hemorrhage due to heat in the blood
Yin def. disease
Dosage 9 ~ 15 g
Cook
ToxicityDiarrhea; abdominal pain; vertigo; fatigue, and palpitations
Sheng Di Huang Sheng Di Huang (cold) (cold) 生地黃生地黃
Contraindications Dampness from spleen def.
Loose stools & abdominal fullness
Combinations
Indications Formular
Chi Shao 赤芍 Blood in urinary
Xuan Shen 玄參Mai Dong 麥冬 Yin Def. disease Zeng Ye Tang
Huang Qi 黃耆Tian Hua Fen 天花粉
Ge Gen 葛根Diabetes
Huai Jiao 槐角Di Yu 地榆 Hemorrhoids bleeding
Bie Jia 鱉甲Di Gu Pi 地骨皮 Heat due to Yin def.
Qin Hao Bie Jia Tang
Sheng Di Huang Sheng Di Huang (cold) (cold) 生地黃生地黃
Xuan Shen Xuan Shen 玄参玄参
Pharmaceutical Name Scrophulariae Radix
Actions
Clears heat & cools the blood
Nourishes the Yin
Softens hardness and dissipates nodules
Indications
(Excess & Def.)
Bleeding due to heat in the blood
Warm-heat disease with constipation & irritability
Neck lumps due to phlegm fire
Dosage 9 ~ 15 g
Cook
Toxicity None noted
Xuan Shen Xuan Shen 玄参玄参(cold)(cold)Xuan Shen Xuan Shen 玄参玄参(cold)(cold)
Contraindications cold-dampness
Anti Li Ru
Combinations
Indications Formular
Niu Pang Zi 牛蒡子Jie Geng 桔梗 Swelling of the throat
Bai He 百合Chuan Bei Mu 川贝母 cough due to lung dryness
Jin Yin Hua 金银花Lian Qiao 连翘
Swollen abscesses & toxic sores
Mu Li 牡蛎Zhe Bei Mu 浙贝母Xia Ku Cao 夏枯草
nodules due to phlegm
Xuan Shen Xuan Shen 玄参 玄参 (cold)(cold)
Mu Dan Pi Mu Dan Pi 牡丹皮牡丹皮
Off white cylindrical sections, hollow or lighter color centerOff white cylindrical sections, hollow or lighter color center
Distinct lookDistinct look
Pharmaceutical Name Moutan Cortex
Actions
Clears heat & cools blood
Clears deficient fire
Clears liver blood stasis
Clears ascending liver fire
Drains pus & reduces swelling
Indications
(Excess or Def.)
Nose bleed; blood sputum; profuse menses
Steaming bone; no sweating
amenorrhea, abdominal mass, bruise’s
headache, eye pain, dysmenorrhoea
topically for non-draining sores
Dosage 6 ~ 12 g
Cook
Toxicity Occasionally, nausea & dizziness
Mu Dan Pi Mu Dan Pi (slightly Cold)(slightly Cold) 牡丹皮牡丹皮
Contraindications Pregnant
Combinations
Indications Formular
Chai Hu 柴胡 Exterior heat disease
Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang柴葛解肌湯
Sheng Ma 升麻Bo he 薄荷 Measles at early stage
Huang Lian 黃連
Huang Qin 黃芩
Heat induced diarrhea & dysenteric disorders due to damp-heat
Ge Geng Qin Lian Tang 葛根芩連湯
Bai Zhu 白朮 Chronic Diarrhea due to Sp. Def.
Qi Wei Bai Zhu San七味白朮飲
Mai Dong 麥冬Sheng Di 生地 Thirsty due to diabetes
Mu Dan Pi Mu Dan Pi (slightly Cold)(slightly Cold) 牡丹皮牡丹皮
Zi Cao Zi Cao 紫草紫草
Very dark purpleVery dark purpleDistinct lookDistinct look
Pharmaceutical Name Arnebiae/Lithospermi Radix
Actions
Clears heat, cools blood & resolves fire toxicity
Clears damp-heat from the skin
* Moisten intestine
Indications
(Excess)
encourages progression of rashes to vent
damp heat skin lesion, itching
* Constipation
Dosage 3 ~ 9 g
Cook
Toxicity
Zi Cao Zi Cao 紫草紫草 (cold) (cold)
Contraindications Loose stools ( spleen def.)
Combinations
Indications Formular
Chi Shao 赤芍Chan Tui 蟬蛻Lian Qiao 連翹
Rashes
Da Qin Ye 大青葉Shui Niu Jiao 水牛
角
Heat toxin with dark purple measles
Sheng Di 生地Bai Mao Gen 白茅根 Blood in the urine
Bai Zhi 白芷Dang Gui 當歸 Ointment to treat Burns or sores
Zi Yun Gao
紫雲膏
Zi Cao Zi Cao 紫草紫草 (cold) (cold)
Chi Shao Chi Shao 赤芍赤芍
Flat strips of off white, dry root with dark brown edgesFlat strips of off white, dry root with dark brown edgesDistinct lookDistinct look
Pharmaceutical Name Paeoniae Radix rubra
Actions
Invigorates the blood & dispels blood stasis
Clears heat & cool blood
Indications
(Excess)
dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhea,
abdominal pain and masses,
traumatic pain associated with swelling and pain
blotchy skin, bleeding, irregular mense
Dosage 6 ~ 15 g
Cook
Toxicity None notes
Chi Shao Chi Shao 赤芍赤芍
(slightly Cold) (slightly Cold)
Contraindications Deficient cold
Combinations
Indications Formular
Tao Ren 桃仁Chuan Xiong 川芎
dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhea,
Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
血府逐瘀湯
Xiang Fu 香附 Rib area pain; dysmenorrhoea
Bai Shao 白芍 Spasms & cramping pain
Ru Xiang 乳香Mo Yao 沒藥 Pain from traumatic injury
Mu Dan Pi 牡丹皮Sheng Di 生地 Heat entering the blood level
Chi Shao Chi Shao 赤芍赤芍
(slightly Cold) (slightly Cold)
Shui Niu Jiao Shui Niu Jiao 水牛角水牛角
Pharmaceutical Name Bubali Cornu
Actions
Clears heat, resolves fire toxicity
Cool blood
Clears heat and arrests tremors
Indications
(Excess)
High fever ( worse at night )
Loss of consciousness
Heat enters the blood level
Vomiting blood due to heat
Dosage 30 ~ 120 g in decoction; 6~15 g as a powder
Cook
ToxicityIn high dosage; gastric discomfort, nausea, vomiting, reduced appetite
Shui Niu JiaoShui Niu Jiao (Cold) (Cold) 水牛角水牛角
Contraindications Cold from middle Jiao
Combinations
Indications Formular
Sheng Di 生地Dan Pi 丹皮
Chi Shao 赤芍Heat caused bleed
Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang
犀角地黃湯
Ling Yang Jiao 羚羊角
Niu Huang 牛黃High fever caused spasm
An Gong Niu Huang Wan 安宮牛黃丸
Da Qing Ye 大青葉Shi Gao 石膏 Red or purple rashes
Hua Ban Tang
化斑湯
Jin Yin Hua 金銀花Huang Lian 黃連 Fever with irritability
Qing Ying Tang
清營湯
Shui Niu JiaoShui Niu Jiao (Cold) (Cold) 水牛角水牛角