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Lian Qiao连翘

Forsythiae Fructus · Forsythia Fruit · Weeping Forsythia Capsule

Herbs that Clear Heat 清热药《神农本草经》

Overview

The dried fruit capsule of weeping forsythia, gathered either green and unripe or ripe and split open. Bitter and slightly cold but light and dispersing, it clears heat and resolves toxicity while still floating outward to release wind-heat — which is why it turns up both in the first-line formulas for a hot cold and in the prescriptions for boils and abscesses. Traditional practice calls it the sacred remedy of the sores school, and pairs it with Jin Yin Hua 金银花 so consistently that the two are prescribed almost as one herb.

Nature & Flavor

Bitter · Slightly cold

Channels

Lung · Heart · Small Intestine

Typical Dosage

6–15 g in decoction
连翘Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

4 core actions

  • Clears heat, resolves toxicity, reduces swellingBoils, carbuncles, breast abscess, erysipelas and scrofulous nodules — it dissipates the clumping as well as clearing the heat behind it.
  • Disperses wind-heatEarly-stage wind-heat and warm-disease patterns: fever with slight chills, sore throat, headache.
  • Clears heat from the Heart, drains through the urineRestlessness and irritability where heat has reached the Heart, and hot, scanty, painful urination.
  • Green and ripe fruit differThe unripe green capsule is the stronger at clearing heat and resolving toxicity; the ripe split capsule is lighter and better at venting heat outward from the exterior.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Lian Qiao

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Boils, abscesses, breast abscess and erysipelas
    - Scrofula and firm nodules of the neck
    - Early wind-heat colds and warm-disease fever with sore throat
    - Restlessness from heat, hot painful urination

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

Upper respiratory infectionTonsillitisCellulitisMastitisLymphadenitis

Contraindications

Cautions

Bitter and cold: wrong for Spleen–Stomach deficiency cold with loose stools, and wrong for sores that are flat, pale and discharging thin pus, which are a deficiency pattern needing support rather than cooling. A skin infection that is spreading, red streaking up a limb, or fever with a rapidly enlarging abscess needs medical assessment and, where indicated, antibiotics or drainage — herbs alone are not the answer there.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: Take in pregnancy only under practitioner supervision — it is cold and dispersing

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing《神农本草经》(classical source, public domain).
    2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    3. 《中华人民共和国药典》.

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.