HERBS THE DRAIN FIRE

Revised: 8/28/2019

Sources:
• Bensky, D. (2004). Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica. Seattle, WA: Eastland Press. pp. 89-118

• Chen, J. and Chen, T. (2004). Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology. Art of Medicine Press. pp. 108-136

Herbs that Drain Fire

These are among the coldest herbs in the materia medica.

• High fever

• Irritability

• Thirst

• Delirium

• Eye problems

These symptoms generally correspond to the Qi level in the four levels of Warm Disease Theory, or to
the Yang Ming level in the six-stage Shang Han Lun theory.

The key symptoms associated with these levels are the Four Bigs (四⼤大): big fever, big thirst, big
sweat, big pulse.

Because they clear heat, these herbs tend to be bitter in flavor. Some, due to their ability to moisten
dryness and generate fluids, are also sweet.

Because these herbs are so cold, caution must be taken not to damage the Spleen.
 Herbs that Drain Fire

Taste:
• bitter

• sometimes sweet (moistening)

Temperature: • cold

Channels: • LU, ST, HT, LV

Cautions & 
 • These herbs are cold and bitter; they may damage the
Contraindications: Spleen

Main Action: • Clear heat and drain fire

Other • These herbs treat Qi level or Yangming level heat,

characterized by the Four Bigs

Herbs that Drain Fire

• shí gāo
• tiān huā fēn

• zhī mǔ
• lú gēn

• zhī zǐ
• juē míng zǐ
• dàn zhú yè

• xià kū cǎo

• xī guā

shí gāo
gypsum fibrosum ⽯石
膏
Temp: very cold

Taste: sweet, acrid

Channels: LU, ST

Dosage: 15-60 grams

1. clears heat and drains fire

• for qi-level or Yang Ming heat characterized by the “Four Great”

symptoms: great fever (without chills), great sweat, great thirst, big
pulse (rapid, surging)

2. clears excess heat from the Lung

• for cough with thick, yellow, sticky sputum

3. clears blazing Stomach fire

• for hunger, thirst, bad breath

• for headache, toothache, painful gums, mouth sores

Prepared Shi Gao (called Shu Shi Gao) can be applied topically to treat skin conditions

such as eczema, burns, and sores.

zhī mǔ
anemarrhenae rhizoma
知
Temp: cold

Taste: bitter, sweet

Channels: LU, ST, KI

Dosage: 6-12 grams

⺟母
1. clears heat and drains fire

• for high fever, irritability, thirst, rapid flooding pulse 


(qi-level heat)

2. clears heat from deficiency

• for heat signs due to Kidney yin deficiency

3. tonifies Kidney yin and moistens 


dryness

Zhi Mu means “know your mother.”

zhī zǐ
gardeniae fructus
栀
Temp: cold

Taste: bitter

Channels: HT, LU, ST, LV, SJ

Dosage: 6-9 grams

⼦子
1. clears heat and drains fire

• clears heat from all three jiao; for heat anywhere in the body

• treats shen disorders due to heat (irritability, insomnia, delirious speech)

2. clears damp-heat

• for lin syndrome due to damp-heat in the lower-jiao, jaundice

3. cools blood to stop bleeding

• for nosebleed, vomiting blood, blood in the stool or urine

• use charred (Zhi Zi Tan)

4. use topically for injury and trauma

dàn zhú yè
lophatheri herba
淡
Temp: cold

Taste: sweet, bland

Channels: HT, SI, ST

Dosage: 6-9 grams

⽵竹
1. clears Heart heat

• for shen problems (anxiety, irritability, insomnia, palpitations),

叶
difficult urination, and mouth sores

2. promotes urination to treat Lin syndrome

• for Heart heat pouring into Small Intestine

xià kū cǎo
prunellae spica
夏
Temp: cold

Taste: bitter, acrid

Channels: LV, GB

Dosage: 9-15 grams

枯
1. clears Liver heat and brightens eyes

• for red, painful, swollen eyes; headache; dizziness

草
2. clears heat and dissipates nodules

• for neck lumps, scrofula, goiter, lipoma, or swollen glands

due to phlegm-heat

3. lowers high blood pressure

xī guā
citrulli fructus
⻄西
Temp: cold

Taste: sweet (bland)

Channels: UB, HT, ST

Dosage: 15-30 grams

⽠瓜
1. clears heat and summerheat

• for thirst, dark scanty urine, dry heaving

2. generates body fluids

3. promotes urination

• for edema and jaundice

Xi Gua is watermelon. It is used as food therapy, not in decoction.

Watermelon rind is called Xi Gua Pi. The rind is not as cooling, but better at promoting urination.
tiān huā fēn
tricosanthis radix
天
Temp: cold

Taste: bitter, slightly sweet

Channels: LU, ST

Dosage: 10-15 grams

花
1. clears heat from Lung and Stomach

• for thirst, irritability, cough with thick or blood-streaked phlegm

分
2. generates body fluids

• a.k.a. tonifies Lung and Stomach yin

3. resolves toxicity and expels pus

• for carbuncles and sores with yellow, sticky, 


foul-smelling pus

• for breast abscess

lú gēn
phragmitis rhizoma
芦
Temp: cold

Taste: sweet

Channels: LU, ST

Dosage: 15-30 grams

根
1. clears heat from Lung and Stomach

• for thirst, irritability, cough with thick or blood-streaked phlegm

2. generates body fluids

• a.k.a. tonifies Lung and Stomach yin

• stronger than Tian Hua Fen

3. promotes urination to treat Lin syndrome

• for urgent, scanty, dark, painful urination

juē míng zǐ
cassiae semen
决
Temp: slightly cold

Taste: bitter, sweet, salty

Channels: LV, LI, KI

Dosage: 9-15 grams

明
1. clears Liver heat to brighten eyes

• for eye problems, headache, dizziness

⼦子
2. moistens Large Intestine

3. lowers high blood pressure and cholesterol

Jue Ming Zi is named after abalone shell (Shi Jue Ming) because of its strong action of brightening the eyes.

It is mainly for eye problems due to Liver yang rising, but it can be used with other herbs for eye problems 

due to wind-heat or yin deficiency (hence its sweet nature).

lián zǐ xīn
plumula nelumbinis
连
Temp: cold

Taste: bitter

Channels: HT, PC

Dosage: 1.5-3 grams

⼦子
1. clears Heart heat

• for shen problems, confusion, delirium, irritability, insomnia

⼼心
• for sores on the mouth and tongue

2. stops bleeding and secures essence

• for vomiting blood or spermathorrhea

Lian Zi Xin can be taken as a single herb for insomnia due to Heart heat. It is used as a folk remedy for
childhood insomnia by making it into a pillow.
Summary
shi gao
clears heat and drains fire

gypsum fibrosum • Qi-level heat

• Lung and Stomach heat

zhi mu
clears heat and drains fire
• clears deficiency heat

anemarrhenae rhizoma • Qi-level heat

• tonifies KI yin

zhi zi
clears heat and drains fire
• clears damp-heat (lin syndrome and jaundice)
gardeniae fructus • all three jiao

• for shen disturbance

dan zhu ye
clears heat and drains fire
• promotes urination
lophatheri herba • clears Heart heat

xia ku cao
clears heat and drains fire
• dissipates nodules

prunellae spica • clears Liver heat to brighten eyes • lowers high blood pressure

xi gua
clears heat and drains fire
• generates body fluid

citrulli fructus • clears summerheat • promotes urination

tian hua fen

clears heat and drains fire
• moistens Lung; generates body fluids

trichosanthis radix • clears heat from Lung and Stomach • treats skin infection (sores with pus)

lu gen
clears heat and drains fire
• Moistens Lung; generates body fluids

phragmitis rhizoma • clears heat from Lung and Stomach • promotes urination

jue ming zi
clears heat and drains fire
• moistens Large Instestine

cassiae semen • clears Liver heat to brighten eyes • lowers high blood pressure and cholesterol