Nature: acrid, sweet, bitter, slightly cold

Enters: Liver, Lung

Actions: Moves liver Qi, subdues liver Yang rising, clears liver heat; disperses wind and clears heat from the liver and Lungs; eliminates toxicity; promotes vision; can protect the Lungs; nourishes water of the kidneys; said to promote longevity.

Indications:
• Wind-heat: fever, dizziness, headache.
• Liver wind-heat or flaring of liver fire: red, swollen, painful eyes.
• Liver Yang rising leading to stirring of liver wind: headache, dizziness, deafness,
hypertension.
• Liver and kidney Yin deficiency: seeing spots in front of the eyes, blurry vision, dizziness.
• Cook a short time (retain the acridness) to disperse wind-heat, cook longer (boil off the acridness, retain the bitterness) to subdue liver Yang.
• This herb is said to have the energy of autumn – it can protect the Lungs.
• Stronger than Sang ye at clearing liver fire, but weaker at dispersing wind-heat.
• Compared to Mu zei, with regard to the vision: Ju hua nourishes the eyes, but does not remove superficial visual obstruction (as Mu zei does).
• Bai ju hua: white variety: stronger than the yellow variety at subduing liver Yang, freeing/nourishing the liver and clearing the eyes; often used for poor vision due to liver/kidney Yin deficiency; better for hypertension.
• Huang ju hua: yellow variety: stronger than the white variety at clearing heat and dispersing wind-heat.
HF: A San Du, scattering toxin medicinal, typically found in Gu Zheng (Gu parasites) formulas.
SD: May help antidote lead poisoning.
Yoga: Sevanti – “Service,” gives the energy of devotion, surrender, and service to the Divine.
• Bitter, sweet/cooling/pungent; P, K-; V+ (in excess).
• Affects digestive, respiratory, nervous systems.
• Diaphoretic, antipyretic, alterative, antispasmodic.
• For headache, sore throat, nose bleeds, eye infections, boils, dysmenorrhea, liver diseases.
• Cools and regulates the Pitta that governs vision.
• Calms Pitta emotions: anger, irritability.
• Promotes lactation and menstruation.
• Caution with high Vata.
• Aids in the surrender of the egoistic will (a function of deranged Pitta) to the Divine.
MLT: Drink cool in the summer to protect Yin and blood.
• Good for digestive upset, hypertension, headache, summer-heat.
DY: Light and upbearing in nature.
• With Gou qi zi to effectively nourish and supplement the liver and kidneys, clear heat, calm the liver, and brighten the eyes. For indications such as blurred vision, diminished visual acuity, “moving black spots in front of the eyes,” fire sparks in the eyes, photophobia, dry eyes with distention and headache, and pain in the lower back and knees due to liver-kidney deficiency. For these indications, the combination is present in Qi Ju Di Huang Wan. Bai ju hua should be used. Ju hua carries the action of Gou qi zi toward the eyes.
• For eye problems, hypertension, or headaches with a feeling of distention, use 20-30g of Ju hua daily.
• (Bai) Ju hua yields very good results in hypertensive disorders, especially when accompanied by vertigo and headaches mainly due to liver Yang rising. It is often combined with Shan zha (15-20g), is cases of hypercholesterolemia.
Hsu: Hypotensive: suppresses the motor center controlling blood vessels and is vasodilatory.

Dose: 4.5-15g