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He Ye荷叶

Nelumbinis Folium · Lotus Leaf

Herbs that Clear Heat 清热药

Overview

The leaf of the lotus, bitter and neutral, light in body and lifting in action. It clears summerheat along with the damp that travels with it, raises the clear yang so a heavy, fogged head lightens, and cools blood that is leaving the vessels. Its lightness is the whole point — it is used to lift and disperse, never to purge.

Nature & Flavor

Astringent

Channels

Liver · Spleen · Stomach

Typical Dosage

3–10 g in decoction
荷叶Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

3 core actions

  • Clears summerheat, transforms dampSummer heat with heavy limbs, thirst, poor appetite and loose stool.
  • Raises the clear yangA heavy, fogged head; diarrhea of Spleen deficiency where the clear qi fails to rise.
  • Cools the blood, stops bleedingNosebleed, blood in the stool and heavy uterine bleeding from heat in the blood; the charred leaf is the stronger hemostatic form.

In Formulas

Formulas containing He Ye

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Summerheat with heaviness, thirst and poor appetite
    - Head fog and heaviness; Spleen-deficiency diarrhea
    - Bleeding from heat in the blood: nosebleed, blood in the stool, heavy uterine bleeding

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

Heat exhaustionDiarrheaNosebleedSummer fatigue

Contraindications

Cautions

Light and cooling, so it does little where the pattern is cold and deficient, and long use can worsen poor appetite and loose stool in a weak Spleen. It is not a treatment for heatstroke: anyone with confusion, a very high temperature or collapse needs urgent medical care and active cooling, not a decoction.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: No specific restriction — practitioner judgment applies

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    2. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
    3. 《中华本草》.

Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.