Clear heat
Zhi Zi
栀子
Gardenia fruit
Gardenia jasminoides
Drains heat and irritability through the three burners, in the usual phrase.
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 when heat is restless: irritability, a hot chest, and jaundice patterns in classical internal medicine. It does not treat hepatitis or mood disorders.
Common pairings
- Dan Shen 丹参
Sometimes set together when heat and blood stasis are both in the teaching case.
- Huang Qin 黄芩
Two bitters for a hotter, damper pattern.
Cautions
Not for self-dosing. Cold. Traditional notes say it can loosen the stools. Not a home remedy for jaundice.