Yin Chen (Hao) - 茵陳蒿 - Herba Artemisiae Scopariae

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Herba Artemisiae Scopariae
Common English:	Capillaris Capillary Wormwood Downey Wormwood Oriental Wormwood Virgate Wormwood Yinchenhao Shoots and Leaves

Category

Herbs that Drain Dampness (Diuretics)

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Bitter (Acrid)	Slightly Cold (Cool) (Neutral)	Liver Gallbladder Spleen Stomach (Bladder)	9-30g Tincture: 2-4ml

Actions And Indications

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Clears Damp-Heat from the Liver and Gallbladder and relieves jaundice	Jaundice due to Damp-Cold or Damp-Heat
Clears Heat and facilitates the resolution of Dampness	Damp sores, wind rashes, other skin diseases, in the Lower parts of the body (can be used alone as a wash)
Clears and releases Dampness in the the Exterior	Damp-Warm Febrile disease

Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Fr. Gardeniae Zhi Zi Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang	Poria Fu Ling Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi Rz. Alismatis Ze Xie	Rz. Zingiberis Gan Jiang Rx. Lateralis Aconiti Preparata Zhi Fu Zi Poria Fu Ling
Damp-Heat jaundice with abdominal distention, fever, constipation, and urinary dysfunction. Gallstones.	Damp predominant jaundice with marked urinary dysfunction.	Damp-Cold jaundice.
Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis Hou Po	Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu Hb. Lysimachiae/Desmodii Jin Qian Cao Rx. Curcumae Yu Jin (Rx. et Rz. Rhei) (Da Huang)	Talcum Hua Shi Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin (Fr. Amomi Rotundus) (Bai Dou Kou)
Summer-Heat with Damp turbidity Obstructing the Middle Jiao or jaundice.	Cholecystitis or cholelithiasis.	Summerheat or Warm febrile disease causing urinary dysfunction and jaundice.
Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin	Cx. Dictamni Bai Xian Pi Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis Ku Shen Fr. Kochiae Di Fu Zi	Fr. Gardeniae Zhi Zi
Damp-Heat skin rashes.	Externally or Internally for Damp-Heat rashes and sores.	Strongly relieves Damp-Heat jaundice.
Rx. Lateralis Aconiti Preparata Zhi Fu Zi	Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang	Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria Wu Ling San
Yin jaundice. Spleen Yang Deficiency leading to Dampness.	Early-Stage Damp-Heat jaundice when Heat is stronger than Dampness.	Jaundice caused more by Dampness with dysuria.
Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin Hb. Lysimachiae/Desmodii Jin Qian Cao Hb. Hedyotis Diffusae Bai Hua She She Cao Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu	Hb. Hedyotis Diffusae Bai Hua She She Cao Rz. Polygoni Cuspidati Hu Zhang
Hepatitis.	Liver cirrhosis.

Notes

1. The plant lives through the winter, and new sprouts emerge from the old, dry stem.
2. It is the chief herb for jaundice, whether from Cold-Dampness or Damp-Heat, and is known as “the sacred herb for jaundice”.
3. Studies have shown that this herb inhibits cancer cell growth.
4. This herb is said to cure jaundice, dysuria, headache and mania from pathogenic Heat, pestilence, dizziness, Wind-induced pain, miasma, extreme renal deficiency and abdominal masses.
5. According to one source, it diminishes Stasis, stops pain, activates the diaphragm and expels Phlegm.
6. Like Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu, this herb enters the Liver/Gallbladder channels and drains Liver/Gallbladder Fire. Because it is less drying, it is very helpful for Yin Deficient or Excess Fire patients who cannot tolerate the Dryness of Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu.
7. Yin Chen and Hb. Lysimachiae Jin Qian Cao both cool Heat, drain Dampness, clear Liver Heat and benefit the Gallbladder, and they are frequently combined for Damp-Heat in the Liver/Gallbladder. Yin Chen is bitter, cold, descending and draining, and far more fragrant than Jin Qian Cao, so it is better at breaking up turbid Dampness, reducing jaundice and promoting urination. It supports the Liver more than the Gallbladder. Jin Qian Cao is sweet, salty and slightly cold; it softens hardness, expels stones and supports the Gallbladder.
8. Yin Chen and Hb. Artemisiae Qing Hao are both aromatic and resolve Damp-Heat, and they are often paired for Damp-Heat jaundice, Warm-Damp disorders and Summerheat-warmth. Yin Chen enters the Spleen and Stomach and is specific for jaundice. Qing Hao mainly enters the Liver/Gallbladder and is more effective for steaming bones from consumption. It is especially good for draining pathogenic Fire in Summerheat-warmth and for malarial disorders.