Clear heat
Huang Lian
黄连
Coptis rhizome
Coptis chinensis
Very bitter, very cold. Clears heat in the heart and stomach in textbooks.
Not for self-dosing. This page is not a formula, not a strength, and not a substitute for a licensed herbalist or physician.
Category
Cold · Bitter
Meridians entered
Traditional uses
Used for a pattern of damp-heat or fire in the middle: bitter taste, irritability, and hot diarrhea as classical pictures. Also for heart-fire restlessness. It is one of the strongest common bitters.
Common pairings
- Huang Qin 黄芩
Upper and middle heat, a draining pair.
- Ban Xia 半夏
In some formulas the cold of Coptis is set against the warmth of Ban Xia for a mixed stomach pattern.
Cautions
Not for self-dosing. Not for long-term use. Very cold. Can be hard on digestion. Species are over-harvested; quality and identity matter.