Jiao Gu Lan绞股蓝
Gynostemma Pentaphyllum · Jiaogulan · Southern Ginseng · Five-leaf Ginseng
Overview
A five-leaflet climbing vine of the gourd family, used mainly as a daily tea in southern China and Southeast Asia and only relatively recently taken seriously in the herbal dispensary — which is why it has no classical materia medica entry. Sweet, slightly bitter and cool, it sits oddly between categories: it supplements qi like a tonic, yet it is cool and mildly heat-clearing rather than warming, so it suits the tired patient who also runs a little hot. It contains gypenosides structurally related to the ginsenosides of ren shen, the basis of its nickname, though it is a much gentler herb and not a substitute for ginseng in a formula.
Nature & Flavor
Sweet, bitter · ColdChannels
Spleen · LungTypical Dosage
10–20 g in decoctionActions
4 core actions
- Augments qi, strengthens the SpleenFatigue, poor appetite and lassitude after illness or from overwork, particularly where warming tonics feel too heating.
- Transforms phlegm, stops coughChronic cough with phlegm in a depleted patient — its second traditional use in the regions where it grows.
- Clears heat, resolves toxinMild lingering heat with irritability and a dry mouth; used as a cooling daily tea rather than for acute febrile illness.
- A modern herbNo classical source records it as a medicine, so its profile rests on regional folk use and modern study; treat published claims about it with the caution any recent herb deserves.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Jiao Gu Lan
No published formula lists this herb yet — the library is growing.
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Fatigue and poor appetite of qi deficiency, especially with mild heat signs
- Chronic cough with phlegm in a depleted patient
- Irritability and dry mouth from lingering low-grade heat
- Used long-term as a mild daily tonic tea in its home regions
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
Generally well tolerated as a tea, but it is cool: prolonged use is not suitable for a cold, weak Spleen with loose stools and cold limbs. Nausea and loose stools are the commonly reported effects at higher doses. Because it is not a classical herb, drug-interaction data is limited — anyone on anticoagulants, glucose-lowering or lipid-lowering medication should raise it with both their doctor and their practitioner before taking it daily. Product quality varies widely; prefer material identified as Gynostemma pentaphyllum by a supplier that tests it.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: Safety in pregnancy has not been established for this herb — avoid it in pregnancy unless a practitioner has specifically indicated it.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- 《中华本草》 (modern comprehensive materia medica).
2. Provincial Chinese medicinal-material standards; not listed in the main volume of 《中华人民共和国药典》.
3. Contemporary pharmacological literature on Gynostemma pentaphyllum; draft entry pending practitioner review.
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.