Herbs that Cool the Blood

Vocabulary and properties of Chinese herbs used to cool the blood, including their individual characteristics, dosages, and contraindications.

Herbs that Cool the Blood properties

Herbs that are cold in temperature and either bitter and sweet or salty in taste, used to clear heat from the ying (nutritive) level or xue (blood) level.

Maculopapular rashes

Flat red areas with small bumps, which are common clinical symptoms of heat at the blood level.

Xī Jiǎo (rhinocerotis cornu)

A cold, bitter, and salty herb that clears heat and cools blood, clears Heart heat for delirium or mania, and stops tremors; it is no longer used and has been replaced by Shui Niu Jiao.

Xi Jiao dosage

$1.5-6\,grams$ (or $0.5-2\,grams$ as powder with decoction).

Shuǐ Niú Jiǎo (bubali cornu)

The substitute for Xi Jiao used to clear heat from the ying and xue levels, clear Heart heat, and stop tremors from convulsions, requiring a much higher dosage of $30-120\,grams$.

Shēng Dì Huáng (rehmanniae radix)

A cold, bitter, and sweet herb used to clear heat, cool blood, nourish yin, and generate fluids for symptoms like high fever, thirst, and constipation.

Sheng Di Huang side effects

Because it is very sticky and cloying, it may cause middle-jiao upset (nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain) and is often combined with Chen Pi or Sha Ren.

Xuán Shēn (scrophulariae radix)

A cold, salty, sweet, and bitter herb that clears heat, cools blood, nourishes yin, and specifically softens hardness to dissipate nodules like goiter and scrofula.

Mǔ Dān Pí (moutan cortex)

A slightly cold herb that clears heat and cools blood for xue level bleeding while uniquely invigorating blood for conditions like amenorrhea and abdominal masses.

Mu Dan Pi specific heat clearing

Clears ascending Liver heat (headache, eye pain), clears deficiency heat (steaming bone disorder), and drains pus to reduce swelling in sores or LI abscess.

Zǐ Cǎo (arnebiae/lithospermi radix)

A cold, sweet herb that cools and invigorates blood for skin eruptions (dark purple rashes), moistens the Large Intestine, and treats damp-heat skin problems topically.

Shiunko (Zi Yun Gao)

Also known as Purple Cloud Ointment, a Japanese burn cream made from Dang Gui and Zi Cao mixed with sesame oil and beeswax.

Common channels for Blood-Cooling herbs

Primarily the Liver (LV) and Heart (HT) channels.

Blood-Cooling herbs caution

Because these herbs are cold and bitter, they may damage the Spleen.