Chuan Xin Lian - 穿心莲 - Herba Andrographitis

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Herba Andrographitis
Common English:	Andrographitis Green Chiretta Heart-Thread Lotus Leaf Kariat

Category

Herbs that Clear Heat: Herbs that Clear Heat and Eliminate Toxins

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Bitter (Astringent)	Cold	Large Intestine Lung Small Intestine Stomach (Urinary Bladder) (Liver)	6-20g Powder: 0.6-1.5g Tincture:2-5ml

Actions And Indications

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Clears Heat and resolves Fire toxicity (Benefits the throat)	Heat in the Lungs and throat, asthma, encephalitis B Acute infection of the gastrointestinal tract Chuang Yung In its fresh form it can be applied topically for snake bite
Dries Dampness and stops diarrhea	Damp-Heat dysentery (Intestinal Damp-Heat) Gall Bladder Heat, Herpes zoster, Viral hepatitis Hot, painful urinary dysfunction, urinary tract infections Eczema (topically)
Cools the Blood	Epistaxis
Resolves Phlegm	Phlegm Heat with purulent sputum

Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Per. Citri Reticulatae Chen Pi	Hb. Houttuyniae Yu Xing Cao Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng	Flos Lonicerae Jin Yin Hua Fr. Arctii Niu Bang Zi (Flos Chrysanthemi) (Ju Hua)
Cough due to Lung Heat	Lung Abscess Cough due to Lung Heat (bronchitis or pneumonia) Sore throat	Early stages of a Warm-Heat pathogen with fever and a sore throat
Rz. Paridis Chong Lou Flos Chrysanthemi Indici Ye Ju Hua	Hb. Portulacae Ma Chi Xian Flos Lonicerae Jin Yin Hua	Rz. Polygoni Cuspidati Hu Zhang Rz. Imperatae Bai Mao Gen (Sm. Plantaginis) (Che Qian Zi)
Topically for toxic sore and swellings and snakebite	Dysenteric disorder Diarrhea	Hot, painful urinary dysfunction
Flos Lonicerae Jin Yin Hua Flos Chrysanthemi Indici Ye Ju Hua	Hb. Houttuyniae Yu Xing Cao Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng Fr. Trichosanthis Gua Lou
Skin sores and carbuncles (Internally and topically) Snake bite (Internally and topically)	Lung Heat cough and asthma with yellow sputum

Notes

• As a low-cost alternative, it may replace Rz. Coptidis Huang Lian.
• In recent practice it has been applied to the treatment of leptospirosis.
• Over recent years it has become one of the herbs most frequently chosen to clear Heat and eliminate toxins.
• It reduces swellings, and as a topically applied powder it is used for eczema, scalds, burns and snakebite.
• Its broad-spectrum anti-infective action includes immunostimulant, antibacterial and antiviral properties.
• It acts as an antipyretic and has anti-inflammatory, detoxicant and antivenomous properties.
• It also works as an expectorant and an anthelmintic, and as a uterine stimulant it has parturient and abortive properties.
• It is used in the treatment of HIV.
• An antitumor effect has been observed.
• Rz. Coptidis Huang Lian may be replaced by this herb.
• Chuan Xin Lian and Rx. Scutellariae Barbatae Ban Zhi Lian share the ability to clear Heat, resolve toxicity, reduce swelling and alleviate pain. Being acrid, bitter and cold, Ban Zhi Lian is superior for eliminating Stagnation, reducing swelling and relieving pain, and it is used for abscesses of the Lung, Stomach and Intestines (cancers included) as well as Blood Stasis from trauma. Chuan Xin Lian is bitter and cold and stronger at clearing Heat and resolving toxicity. In addition it cools Blood Heat and reduces swelling, and its taste is far more bitter than that of Ban Zhi Lian. It ranks among the anti-cancer herbs used most often.
• Chuan Xin Lian and Rz. Paridis Chong Lou both clear Heat and Toxins and are indicated in every Toxic Heat pattern. Chuan Xin Lian addresses a range of infections, especially those of the Intestinal and respiratory tracts. Chong Lou is used for poisonous snake bites and cancer. Because it clears Heat and stops convulsions, it is given for infantile convulsions or any seizure disorder arising from high fever.