Back to previous page Search again ↑

Latin pharmacognostic name: Indigo Naturalis

Alternate English names: natural indigo

Alternate Chinese names: 靛花 diàn huā; 青蛤粉 qīng gé fěn; 青缸花 qīng gāng huā; 蓝露 lán lù; 淀花 diàn huā; 靛沫花 dì mò huā

Kingdom: Plant

Origin in PRC Pharmacopoeia: Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Bremek.; Polygonum tinctorium Ait.; Isatis indigotica Fort. (PRC Pharmacopoeia)

Origin (other sources): Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Brem.*; Indigofera tinctoria L.; Isatis tinctoria L.; Isatis indigotica Fort.*; Polygonum tinctorium Ait.*

Use: Medicinal

Category: Heat-clearing agents / Heat-clearing toxin-resolving agents

Properties: Salty; cold.

Channel entry: Liver, lung, and stomach channels.

Indications:

• Clears heat and resolves toxin; cools the blood and disperses swelling: Macules due to heat toxin; vomiting of blood (blood ejection) and nosebleed due to frenetic movement of hot blood; mumps with painful swelling and throat impediment; welling-abscesses and sores due to heat toxin.
• Clears the liver and drains heat: Child fright wind with heat effusion and convulsions.
• Clears lung and liver heat and disperses phlegm: Cough due to lung heat or liver fire invading the lung.

Dosage & Method: Oral: 1.5–3g. Taken as a powder drenched in fluid or made into pills. The active constituents are not easily soluble in water. Qīng dài can be applied topically for skin conditions, either dry or mixed with liquid.

Warnings: Use with care in stomach cold.

Quality: Good quality is light, powdery, and floats on water.

Product Area: Fújiàn, Shànghǎi, Jiāngsū.

Back to previous page Search again