Individual Herbs Notebook

Ju Hua

Pharmaceutical: Flos Chrysanthemi

Other names: Chrysanthemum

Category: Herbs that Release the Exterior



Properties: Pungent, sweet, bitter, slightly cold

Meridans Entered:
Primary: Lung and Liver


Traditional Actions/Indications:
  1. Disperses Wind and clears Heat
    Wind-Heat from a common Cold or Warm pathogen disease
  2. Calms the Liver and clears the eyes
    Dry, swollen and/or painful eyes due to Wind-Heat in the Liver channel or Liver Yang
    Rising Spots in front of the eyes, blurred vision or dizziness due to Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiencies
    Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiencies with heatstroke
  3. Calms Liver Yang and extinguishes Wind
    Liver Wind with dizziness, headache and deafness
    Liver Yang Rising (Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency)
    Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  4. Detoxifies (purifies Blood)
    Toxic sores and swellings
  5. Promotes the movement of Heart Qi and Blood and stimulates Blood circulation
    Heart Qi and Blood Stagnation
  6. Kills Gu Parasites and Scatters Toxins by Releasing the Exterior
    Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 1998; 2015)
  7. Aids fasting
    Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, disinhibit the Blood and Qi, make the body light, slow ageing and prolong life. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).

Suggested Daily Dosage: 9-15g in decoction.


Notable Constituents:
Appears in 34 formulae listed on this site: (click to display)
Research Links & References: (click to display)