Capillaris (yin chen hao)

Artemisia capillaris

Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat from liver and gallbladder; main herb for jaundice.

Safety notes

Not with jaundice from qi deficiency without damp heat. Always have jaundice and hepatitis treated medically. Traditional use is no proof of effectiveness; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor or pharmacist.

Preparation

Young shoots. Usually as a decoction, together with other herbs.

Use in traditions

Described in the classical Chinese materia medica, in the group 'herbs that drain dampness'. Yin chen hao is the classic remedy for jaundice and is part of Yin Chen Hao Tang, which is still prescribed in Japan (Inchinkoto) for liver complaints. The young shoots are harvested in spring.

Applications

Use by tradition

How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.

Chinese materia medica

Nature and taste: bitter, pungent, cool
Meridians: spleen, liver, gallbladder, stomach, bladder

Attributed effects

For jaundice and hepatitis from damp heat (and with warming herbs also from cold dampness), bitter taste, nausea, dizziness and poor appetite, and summer heat.

Preparation and amount

Traditional dosage: 9–15 g a day, usually in a decoction.

Combinations

With gardenia and rhubarb in yin chen hao tang for jaundice from heat
With dried ginger, fu zi and fu ling for jaundice from cold dampness

Ways to prepare herbs: Decoction
Formulas: Yin chen hao tang

Sources

All herbs from Asia →