Da Qing Ye - 大青葉 - Folium Isatidis - Isatis Leaf
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Folium Isatidis |
| Common English: | Folium Isatidis Indigo Isatidis Leaf Woad Leaf |
Category
Herbs that Clean Heat and Purge Fire: Herbs that Clear Heat and Detoxify; Target Warm and Heat Diseases
Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Bitter Salty (Slightly Pungent) | Very Cold | Heart Lung Stomach (Liver) (Gallbladder) (Large Intestine) | 9-30g In decoction 60 gm. if fresh Tincture: 2-5ml 9-15g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Clears Heat and resolves Fire toxicity | Warm febrile disease, pneumonia Epidemic outbreaks of Fire toxin that affects people regardless of their constitutions (severe contagious diseases) Fire toxins anywhere in the body (Chuang Yung), especially the Lungs and throat Often used for mouth ulcers and throat Bi |
Cools the Blood and dissipates maculae | Maculae or other skin eruptions due to Blood Heat Gallbladder Heat Often used in cases with intense fever, irritability and changes in consciousness Hematemesis |
*Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Major Combinations
| Flos Lonicerae | Flos Lonicerae | Gypsum |
Toxic Heat sores, erysipelas, mumps, or sore throat. | Exterior Wind-Heat with fever, thirst, irritability and sore throat or early-stage febrile disorders. | Heat toxin in Warm pathogen diseases leading to Blazing Fire in both Qi, Ying and Blood Levels with a high fever, maculae sometimes impaired consciousness. |
| Rz. Belamcandae | Rz. Belamcandae | Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae |
All types of pain and swelling of the throat, including diphtheria and acute tonsillitis due to Heat. | All types of pain and swelling of the throat, including diphtheria and acute tonsillitis due to Heat with a stronger effect. | Icteric and anicteric hepatitis and cholecystitis. |
| Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae | Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae | Rz. Cimicifugae |
Icteric and anicteric hepatitis and cholecystitis with a stronger effect. | Sub costal mass. | Throat Bi. Severe oral ulcers. |
Cornu Bubali | Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae | Rx. Scutellariae |
Maculae, epistaxis, and bleeding gums due to Heat in the Blood. | Jaundice. | Parotitis. |
Rz. Anemarrhenae | ||
Heat in the Blood. |
Notes
- When the leaves are prepared, the resulting Natural Indigo is known as Qing Dai.
- Its most frequent use is to reduce maculation in acute infectious disease.
- It is generally given as powders or pills.
- Indirubin, used in cancer treatment, is derived from indigo. Research has found it highly effective, with few side effects, for chronic myelocytic leukemia.
- Being slightly toxic, it is often applied externally for skin diseases.
- It clears Heat Toxin from the Heart, Lung and Stomach and mobilizes both the Qi and Blood Levels.
- It is used for inflammation of the brain membrane (encephalitis) from Heat and for inflammation of the spinal fluid.
- Both internal and external use are possible.
- It may be effective for Heat in the Gallbladder.
- It clears sores linked to childhood nutritional impairment as well as those caused by poisoned weapons.
- Da Qing Ye, Indigo Naturalis Qing Dai, and Rx. Isatidis Bei Ban Lan Gen come from the same plants; all three cool Heat in the Blood and reduce skin blotches. Qing Dai is the best choice for toxic sores from Fire and Heat, rashes from Warm toxins, hemoptysis, hematemesis and childhood convulsions. Dan Qing Ye and Bei Ban Lan Gen both cool Heat toxin in the Heart and Stomach, but Da Qing Ye is typically chosen for rashes from Warm toxin, whereas Bei Ban Lan Gen is chosen for massive head febrile disorders and throat obstruction from mumps.
From Class
- Fire-toxin herbs: Isatis (Ban Lan Gen/Da Qing Ye), Chuan Xin Lian (Andrographis), Bai Hua She She Cao (Hedyotis): Fire-toxin herbs are antimicrobial/anti-cancer; isatis is strongly antiviral, and Hedyotis is said to grow with a viper and be the antidote to its venom. (Yuen)