Flos Lonicerae
- Name
- Origin
- Where Does It Grow?
- Nature and Flavor
- Identified Active Components / Major Chemical Constituents
- Drug Actions in TCM
- Traditional Uses in TCM
- Pharmacological Actions
- Toxicology
- Administration and Dosage
- Adverse Effect, Side Effects and Cautions
- References
Name
Latin Name: Flos Lonicerae
Common Name: Honeysuckle flower
Scientific Name: Lonicera Japonica
Chinese Name: 金銀花
Pinyin Name: jin yin hua
Origin
The flower bud or newly-bloomed flower of Lonicera japonica Thunb., Lonicera hypoglauca Miq., Lonicera confusa DC., and Lonicera dasystyla Rehd.; plants of the Caprifoliaceae family.1,3
Where Does It Grow?
Honeysuckle flower grows all over China, it is mainly produced in Shandong and Henan provinces.2
Nature and Flavor
Honeysuckle flower is sweet in flavor, cold in nature, and manifests its therapeutic actions in the lung, heart and stomach meridians.3
Identified Active Components / Major Chemical Constituents
Honeysuckle flower mainly contains derivatives of chlorogenic acid, flavones and essential oils.3Drug Actions in TCM
Honeysuckle flower clears heat, eliminates toxic substance, and dissipates wind and heat in the superficial portion of the body (exterior-relieving). 3Traditional Uses in TCM
Honeysuckle flower is often used in pus-forming infections, skin sores, pharyngitis, bloody dysentery, cold and flu, and acute infectious diseases (wen bing). 3,4,5
1. Honeysuckle flower is an important ingredient for pus-forming infections, especially for those with significant swelling, pain and redness. It can be used alone or combined with herbs like Chinese honeylocust spine and Dahurian angelica root in the early stage of skin boils, as topical and oral remedies. Honeysuckle flower can be combined with Tokyo violet herb, dandelion and wild chrysanthemum flower to treat deep-rooted skin boils; angelica root, garden burnet root and baical skullcap root to treat abdominal abscess; heartleaf houttuymia herb, reed rhizome and peach kernel to treat lung abscess that coughs bloody and yellow colored sputum.
2.Honeysuckle flower is used in various feverish conditions. For example, it combines with herbs like weeping forsythia capsule, great burdock fruit and peppermint to treat common cold and flu symptoms; gypsum, anemarrhena rhizome and baical skullcap root to reduce high fever. For severe conditions that appear delirium, irritability and red skin patches, the herb can combine with rehmannia root, golden thread rhizome and peony root bark for treatment.
3. Honeysuckle flower can treat bloody dysentery. It can be used alone, or combined with herbs like baical skullcap root, golden thread rhizome, red peony root and Chinese pulsatilla root to exert a more powerful anti-diarrhea effect.
4. In TCM, sore throat is usually caused by heat of internal or external origins; honeysuckle flower can be prescribed with great burdock fruit, blackberrykiky rhizome, platycodon root and liquorice root for relief.
Clinically, modern TCM widely uses honeysuckle flower for infections of the respiratory system, digestive system and head region. It is also used to reduce blood lipid level.
Since honeysuckle flower has a sweet taste, it is a favorable ingredient for people to prepare as tea and distilled water, which can clear summer heat, quench thirst, relieve sore throat, soothe skin sores and prickly heat.
Pharmacological Actions
Toxicology
Administration and Dosage
For decoction, the usual dose of honeysuckle flower is 10~20g each time.4,5
Adverse Effect, Side Effects and Cautions
Honeysuckle flower is not suitable for individuals with a weak digestion, or running sores with watery discharges.3
References
- Li Jiashi (editor-in-chief), Chinese Medicine Identification, Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers, 2000-2.
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine edited, Dictionary of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Science and Technology Press, 2005-5
- Lui Daiquan (editor-in-chief), Chinese Herbal Medicine, Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers, 2000-6.
- http://www.zysj.com.cn/zhongyaocai/yaocai_j/jinyinhua.html.
- Tao Yufeng, Clinical Herbal Medicine, People's Medical Publishing House, 2005-5.
