INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Fructus Gardeniae |
| Common English: | Cape Jasmine Fruit Gardenia Gardenia Pod |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Bitter (Astringent) |
Cold |
Heart Lung Stomach Liver Triple Burner (Gallbladder) (Yin Wei) |
3-12g Tincture: 2-4 ml (less cooling, more sedating) |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Clears Heat, reduces Fire and eliminates irritability in the San Jiao |
Excess Heat in the Heart, Stomach and Liver with high fever, irritability, restlessness, a stifling sensation in the chest, insomnia or delirious speech, eye problems, anger, jaundice |
Clears Heat and resolves Dampness (Drains Damp-Heat) |
Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao with painful urinary dysfunction (Lin Syndrome) Damp-Heat in the Liver/Gallbladder with jaundice Damp-Heat in the San Jiao Damp-Heat in the Gallbladder and San Jiao channels of the face affecting the nose and eyes or causing sores in the mouth or facial region |
Cools the Blood and relieves toxicity (stops bleeding by astringing) |
Heat in the Blood with epistaxis, hematemesis, hemafecia or hematuria (partially charred) |
Reduces swelling and invigorates the Blood |
Blood Stagnation due to trauma (topical) |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
|
INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
|
Sm. Sojae Preparata |
Cx. Moutan |
Rx. Bupleuri |
Insomnia and irritability from Deficiency due to Heat lingering in the chest. |
Resolves Qi Level Stagnation leading to Heat and Heat in the Blood. Irregular menstruation, headache, red eyes, and thirst due to Liver Qi Heat from Stagnation. Dysmenorrhea, headache, dry, scratchy eyes and intercostal pain due to Liver Blood Deficiency. |
Heat from constraint. |
| Rz. Coptidis |
Rz. Zingiberis Succus |
Talcum |
Irritability and restlessness with high fever due to Toxic Heat. Carbuncles and furuncles with or without abscesses and ulcerations. |
Epigastric pain due to Heat. |
Painful urinary dysfunction due to Damp-Heat in the Urinary Bladder. |
Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae |
Cacumen Platycladi |
Rz. Imperatae |
Jaundice due to Damp-Heat in the Liver/Gallbladder. |
Heat induced hemorrhage such as hematemesis and epistaxis. |
Epistaxis, hematemesis or hematuria. |
Sm. Sojae Preparata |
Rz, Imperatae |
Rz. Coptidis |
High fevers. |
Blood Heat causing bleeding. | Boils and carbuncles. |
Rx. et Rz. Rhei |
Fr. Forsythiae |
Rx. et Rz. Rhei |
Pancreatitis. |
Heat entering the Pericardium. Heat remaining in the Heart channel with sores in the mouth or on the tongue and dark, scanty urine or urinary discomfort. |
Gardenia Peel Shan Zhi Pi is combined with the above herbs to treat retained Heat in the Heart channel with darkish urine that is difficult to pass. |
Rx. Bupleuri |
Rz. Cyperi |
Rx. et Rz. Rhei |
Irritability and a short temper. |
Depression with irritability. |
Constipation. |
Talcum |
Rz, Imperatae |
Hb. sive Rx. Cirsii Japonici |
Urinary tract infection. |
Hematuria and Blood Lin. |
Hematemesis and epistaxis. |
Nodus Nelumbinis |
Water |
|
Hemoptysis. |
Zhi Zi powder with the above ingredients, topically for traumatic or sports injuries with bruising, swelling and pain. |
|
- It treats most Damp-Heat problems because it drains Heat from all three Jiaos especially the Lower Jiao.
- The pods are used for their yellow dye.
- The flowers Zhi Zi Hua are valued for their fragrance and are used medicinally to regulate the flow of Blood, stop bleeding and as a contraceptive by increasing menstrual flow.
- The seeds treat jaundice, rheumatism and twisted muscles.
- Some sources say that this herb treats dysphoria.
- It is considered to be an essential herb for the treatment of Heat in the chest. It clears Heart and Lung Heat Accumulation by promoting urination.
- This herb has been shown to inhibit the activation of cancer cells.
- It diminishes Blood Stasis due to Heat Accumulation.
- This herb is said to clear Liver and Gall bladder inflammation and increases their function.
- It is combined with Rz. Corydalis Yan Hu Suo, for Stomach pain.
- For difficult urination, pound together 2-7 fruits with a little salt and one clove of garlic and apply to the navel or scrotum.
- This herb clears Heat when used raw, stops bleeding when dry-fried until black, stops nausea when roasted in ginger juice, clears Internal Heat with its pulp and clears External Heat with its peel.
- Gardenia Kernels Shan Zhi Ren is used for Internal Heat.
- Gardenia Peels Shan Zhi Pi is used for External Heat (muscles and flesh).
- Dry-fried Gardenia Chao Shan Zhi Zi is especially good for reducing rebellious Stomach Qi while clearing Heat agitation.
- Charred Gardenia Shan Zhi Zi Tan is used for Heat from Excess or Fire toxin with epistaxis, hemoptysis,hematuria, or abnormal vaginal bleeding.
- Gardenia Flower Zhi Zi Hua and its extracts are used for their contraceptive effects.