清热药

Herbs in this category clear interior heat which will show the symptoms of　fever without chills, dry mouth, thirst, irritability, scanty urine, dark yellow urine, yellow tongue coating, constipation or diarrhea and possible abdominal distention.　
Herbs that clear heat are generally bitter, cool or cold herbs with draining, sinking qualities. Many are also sweet, salty or pungent by nature, which tastes contribute an additional beneficial dynamic in the overall treatment of heat conditions.

Clear heat and drain fire
清热泻火药

Shi Gao Properties: SWEET, PUNGENT　- very COLD
石膏 Dosage: 9 – 30g.
Gypsum Meridian: LUNG, STOMACH
-strongly clear heat, drain fire – high fever with no chill, excessive thirst and sweat (eliminate vexation and stop thirsty)
-clear excess lung heat – cough, wheezing, fever, thick yellow sputum
-clears blazing stomach fire – headache, toothache, painful gums, halitosis
-astringe and regenerate tissues- topically – eczema, burns, ulcerated sores

Zhi Mu Properties: BITTER　- COLD
知母 　　　　　Dosage: 6 – 12g.
Anemarrhena Rhizome Meridian: LUNG, KIDNEY, STOMACH
-clear heat, drain fire – high fever in lung and stomach, irritability, thirst
-nourish yin, moisten dryness – night sweat, steaming bone, irritability, kidney heat patterns, spermatorrhea, nocturnal emission
-generates fluids and clears heat – oral ulcers and inflammation, thirst
clearing both excessive and deficiency heat

Zhi Zi Properties: BITTER　- COLD
栀子 Dosage: 3 – 12g.
Cape Jasmine Fruit Meridian: HEART, LIVER, LUNG, STOMACH, SAN JIAO
(Gardenia)
-drain fire, eliminate vexation – irritable, restlessness, insomnia, delirium
-drains damp heat – urinary dysfunction, constrained liver and gallbladder causing jaundice
-cools blood to relieve toxin and stop bleeding – nosebleed, blood in vomit, dysentery, xue lin
-reduces swelling and stop pain- topically - blood stasis due to trauma, reduces swelling

Lu Gen Properties: SWEET　- COLD
芦根 　 Dosage:15 – 30g.　 USED ALONE – 60g.
Reed Rhizome Meridian: LUNG, STOMACH 　　　　
-clear heat, generate fluids – high fever, irritability, thirst （eliminate irritability ）
-clear lung heat – cough, thick-yellow sputum
-clear stomach heat and stop vomiting – vomiting, belching
-clear heat, diuretic　– dark-scanty urine, xue lin, accompanied by thirst
-encourages rash’s to surface

Tian Hua Fen Properties: BITTER, SWEET　- COLD
天花粉 　　　　　Dosage: 9 – 15g.
Trichosanthes Root Meridian: LUNG, STOMACH
-drains heat, generates fluids – thirst, irritability, cough, thick sputum
-drains lung heat and moistens lung dryness – transforms phlegm
-relieves toxicity, expels pus - toxic hot carbuncles, breast abscess

Xia Ku Cao Properties: BITTER, PUNGENT　- COLD
夏枯草　　　　　Dosage: 9 – 15g.　 USED ALONE – 30g.
Selfheal Spike Meridian: GALLBLADDER, LIVER
(Prunella)
-ascending liver fire- dry-painful eye, brighten eyes, headache, dizzy
-dissipate phlegm fire nodules – neck lumps, scrofula, lipoma, goiter
-hypertension


Herbs That Clear Heat and Dry Damp
清热燥湿

Huang Qin Properties:BITTER　- COLD
黄芩 Dosage: 6 – 15g.
Baical Skullcap Root Meridian: GALLBLADDER, LARGE INTESTINE, LUNG, STOMACH
(Scutellaria)
-clear heat, drain fire – upper burner, fever, irritability, thirst, cough
-clear heat, dry damp – stomach – diarrhea, dysentery, thirst with no desire to drink, lin syndrome, jaundice
-clear heat, stop bleeding – vomit/cough blood, nosebleed, blood in stool
-clear heat, calm fetus – restless fetus due to heat
-clear liver yang rising – headache, irritability, red eyes, bitter taste

Huang Lian Properties: BITTER　 - COLD
黄连 　　　　　Dosage: 1.5 – 9g.
Coptis Rhizome Meridian: HEART, LARGE INTESTINE, LIVER, STOMACH
-drain fire, relieve toxicity – high fever, irritability, disorientation, delirium, painful-red eyes, sore throat, boils carbuncles, abscesses
-clear heat, drain damp – stomach – diarrhea, dysentery, acid reflux, halitosis, belching
-clear heart fire – irritability, insomnia
-topically – red-painful ulcerations

Huang Bai 　 Properties: BITTER　- COLD
黄柏 　　Dosage: 3 – 12g.
Amur Cork Tree Bark　 Meridian: KIDNEY, BLADDER
(Phellodendron)
-drain damp heat – lower jiao – thick-yellow leucorrhea, diarrhea, dysentery, red-swollen-painful knee joints, jaundice
-drains kidney fire – steaming bone, night sweat, afternoon fever
-drain fire, relieve toxicity – sores and lesions

Long Dan Cao Properties: BITTER　- COLD
龙胆草 Dosage: 3 – 9g.
Chinese Gentian Root Meridian: GALLBLADDER, LIVER, STOMACH
(Gentiana)
-drain damp heat from liver and gallbladder – red-swollen-sore throat/eyes/ears, jaundice, painful-swollen genitals, leucorrhea
-clears ascending liver fire – headache, red eyes, fever, spasm, convulsions

Ku shen Properties: BITTER　- COLD
苦参 Dosage: 3 – 15g.
Sophora Root Meridian: BLADDER, HEART, LIVER, LARGE INTESTINE, SMALL INTESTINE
-clear heat, dry damp – dysentery, leucorrhea, jaundice, sores
-expels wind, kills parasites - itching, skin lesions
-clear heat, promote urination – lin syndrome, hot edema



Herbs That Clear Heat And Detoxify
清热解毒

Jin Yin Hua Properties: SWEET　- COLD
金银花 　　　　　Dosage: 9 – 15g.
Honeysuckle Flower Meridian: LARGE INTESTINE, LUNG, STOMACH
(Lonicera)
-clear heat, relieves toxic fire – throat/breast/eye painful swellings
-expel wind heat – fever, aversion to wind, sore throat, headache
-clear damp heat from lower Jiao – dysentery, lin（淋） syndrome

Lian Qiao Properties: BITTER, PUNGENT　- COOL
连翘 　　　　　　　　　　Dosage: 6 – 15g.
Forsynthia Fruit Meridian: HEART, LIVER, GALLBLADDER
-clear heat and toxins - dissipates nodules, carbuncles and hot sores
-expel wind heat – fever, chills, sore throat, headache

Da Qing Ye Properties: BITTER　- COLD
大青叶 　　　　　Dosage: 9 – 30g.
Woad Leaf (Indigo) Meridian: HEART, LUNG STOMACH
-clear heat, relieve toxicity – contagious febrile disease outbreak
-cools blood, reduce blotches – skin eruptions, intense fever, irritability

Ban Lan Gen Properties: BITTER　- COLD
板蓝根 　　　　　Dosage: 15 – 30g.
Woad Root Meridian: HEART, LUNG, STOMACH
(Isatis Root)
-drain toxic heat and fire, cools blood –mumps, painful swollen throat
-damp heat – jaundice

Qing Dai Properties: SALTY　- COLD
青黛 　 Dosage: 1.5 – 3g.
Pulverata Levis　 　 Meridian: LIVER, LUNG, STOMACH
-clear heat, relieves toxicity, cools blood, disperses swellings, topically for inflamed oral cavity or throat
-lung heat - cough

Bai Hua She She Cao Properties: BITTER, SWEET　- COLD
白花蛇舌草 　　　　　Dosage: 15 – 60g.
Heydyotis　(Oldenlandia) Meridian: LIVER, STOMACH, LARGE INTESTINE
-clear toxic heat and fire – reduce abscess, toxic sores, ulcerations, swellings, snakebite (internal and external application)
-clear heat and damp – promotes urination, lin syndrome, jaundice

Zi Hua Di Ding 　 Properties: PUNGENT, BITTER　- COLD
紫花地丁　　　　　 Dosage: 9 – 15g.
Yedeon’s Violet 　 Meridian: HEART, LIVER
-clear toxic heat and fire – hot swellings, red-swollen eyes/throat/ears
-clear hot sores – sores and abscess’s of head and back - topically

Pu Gong Ying Properties: BITTER, SWEET　- COLD
蒲公英 　　　　　Dosage: 9 – 30g.
Dandelion Meridian: LIVER, STOMACH
-clear toxic heat and fire – liver heat with red-swollen-painful eyes
-dissipates nodules and abscess – firm-hard sores
-promotes lactation due to heat
-clear heat, resolves damp – jaundice, lin syndrome

Hong Teng Properties: BITTER, NEUTRAL
红藤　　　　　　Dosage: 15 – 30g.
Sargentadoxa Vine Meridian: LARGE INTESTINE, LIVER
-clear toxic heat and abscess – skin lesions, swelling pain
-invigorate blood, disperse stasis – trauma, dysmenorrhoea, joint pain

Bai Jiang Cao Properties: PUNGENT, BITTER　- COOL
败酱草　　　　　Dosage: 9 – 15g.
Patrinia　(Thiaspi) Meridian: LARGE INTESTINE, LIVER, STOMACH
-clear toxic heat and fire – expel pus, abscess, sores, swellings
-dispel blood stasis, stop pain – abdominal / chest stasis, traumatic injury

Bai Xian Pi Properties: BITTER　 - COLD Dosage: 6 – 9g.
Dictamnus Root Bark Meridian: SPLEEN, STOMACH
-clears toxic heat and fire, expels wind, dries damp – sores, carbuncles, rashes with excessive pus, moist skin, jaundice

Yu Xing Cao Properties: PUNGENT　- COOL
鱼腥草　　　　　Dosage: 15 - 60g.
Houttuynia　　　　　Meridian: LARGE INTESTINE, LUNG
-clear toxic lung heat – swellings, abscess, thick-yellow sputum
-relieves toxicity – expels pus for toxic sores (internal and external)
-drains damp heat – promote urination, diarrhea, lin syndrome

Bai Tou Weng 　　　　Properties: BITTER　- COLD
白头翁 　　　　　　　　　　Dosage: 6 - 15g.
Chinese Anemone Root Meridian: LARGE INTESTINE, LIVER, STOMACH
Pulsatilla
-clear toxic heat and fire – dysentery (damp heat in stomach)

Qin Pi 　　　 Properties: BITTER　- COLD
秦皮 　　　　　　　　　Dosage: 4.5 – 15g.
Bark of Korean Ash Branch　 Meridian: GALLBLADDER, LIVER, STOMACH, LARGE INTESTINE
-drain damp heat – dysentery
-drain liver fire – eye disorders, visual obstruction
-clear wind-damp – painful hot obstruction

She Gan Properties: BITTER　- COLD
射干 Dosage: 1.5 – 9g.
Belamcanda Rhizome Meridian: LUNG
-clear toxic heat – pain-swollen throat with phlegm heat
-transforms phlegm, clears lung – cough, wheezing and phlegm



Herbs That Clear heat and Cool Blood
清热凉血

Sheng Di Huang Properties: SWEET, BITTER　- COLD
生地黄 　　　　　Dosage: 9 – 30g.
Chinese Foxglove Root Meridian: HEART, KIDNEY, LIVER
Rehmannia
-clear heat, cool blood – high fever, thirst, scarlet tongue
-nourish yin, generate fluids – dry mouth, constipation
-cools ascending heart fire – cankers, irritability, insomnia, malar flush
-wasting thirst disorder

Xuan Shen Properties:　SWEET, SALTY, BITTER　- COLD 玄参 Dosage: 9 – 30g.
Ningpo Figwort Root Meridian: KIDNEY, LUNG, STOMACH
(Scrophularia)
-clear heat, cool blood – bleeding, fever, dry mouth
-nourish yin – constipation, irritability
-drain fire, relieve toxicity – swollen-red eyes, , sore throat
-soften hardness, dissipates phlegm fire nodules – swollen-sore throat

Mu Dan Pi Properties: PUNGENT, BITTER　- COOL
牡丹皮 　　　　　　　　　　Dosage: 6 – 12g..
Tree Peony Root Cortex Meridian: HEART, LIVER, KIDNEY
-clear heat, cool blood – nose bleed, bloody sputum, profuse menses
-clear deficient fire – steaming bone, no sweating
-clears liver blood stasis – amenorrhea, abdominal mass, bruise’s
-clears rising liver fire – headache, eye pain, dysmenorrhoea
-drains pus, reduces swelling – topically for non-draining sores

Zi Cao Properties: SWEET　- COLD
紫草 　　　　　Dosage: 3 – 9 g.
Groomwell Root Meridian: HEART, LIVER
(Lithospermum)
-relieves toxic fire, cool blood – encourages progression of rashes to vent
-topically - clears damp heat – damp heat skin lesion, itching
-moisten intestines, unblocks bowels - constipation

Chi Shao Yao Properties: SOUR, BITTER　- COOL
赤芍药 　　　　　Dosage: 4.5 – 9g.
Red Peony Root Meridian: LIVER, SPLEEN
-invigorate blood, dispel stasis – dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhea, abdominal pain and masses, traumatic pain associated with swelling and pain
-clears heat, cool blood – blotchy skin, bleeding, irregular menses


Herbs That Clear Deficient Heat
清虚热

Di Gu Pi 　Properties: SWEET　- COLD
地骨皮 　Dosage: 6 – 15g.
Wolfberry Root Cortex 　Meridian:LUNG, LIVER, KIDNEY
-drain Yin deficient fire – night sweat, steaming bone, irritability, thirst
-clear lung heat – cough, wheezing
-clear heat, cool blood – nosebleed, vomit blood, xue lin
-drain floating kidney fire - toothache

Yin Chai Hu Properties: SWEET　- COOL
银柴胡 　　　　　Dosage: 3 – 9g.
Stellaria Root Meridian: LIVER, STOMACH
-clear deficient heat – steaming bone, deficient yin fever
-clear heat – fever, thirst, irritability, childhood nutritional impairment
-cool blood, stop bleeding – coughing up blood, nosebleed, xue lin

Hu Huang Lian Properties: BITTER　- COLD
胡黄连 　　　　　Dosage: 3 – 9g.
Picrorhiza Rhizome 　　　　　Meridian: LIVER, STOMACH, LARGE INTESTINE
-drain damp heat – dysentery, sores
-clear deficient heat – yin deficiency heat symptoms
-clear heat – reduce childhood nutritional impairment, abdominal distention, afternoon fever, dysentery, diarrhea

Bai Wei Properties: BITTER, SALTY　- COLD
白薇 Dosage: 6 – 15g.
Swallowwort Root Meridian:LUNG STOMACH, KIDNEY
-clear heat, cool blood - yin deficient fever, post partum fever
-cools blood, promote urination – xue lin
-relieves toxicity – toxic sores, swollen-painful throat, snake bite

Qing Hao Properties: BITTER　- COLD
青蒿 Dosage: 3 – 9g.
Wormwood Meridian:KIDNEY, LIVER, GALLBLADDER
-clear summer heat – fever, headache, dizzy, stifling sensation in chest
-clear deficient fever – unremitting fever with no sweating
-cool blood, stop bleeding – purpuric rash, nosebleed
-malarial disorders – alternating fever and chills