Herb
Gardenia (Zhi zi)
栀子zhi zi
1 sourceFructus Gardeniae
Drains fire and relieves vexation, clears damp-heat jaundice, cools the blood and resolves toxin, and is applied to sores.
Used in 9 formulas
Source
Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷三十六·木部·灌木类·栀子·主治（《本经》）
References
- functions_en self-translated from 本草纲目 traditional_functions (public domain; the Chinese tf carries verbatim excerpt_hash citations). No modern work consulted.
- WHO IST-TCM terminology-aligned for the English rendering.
- public pharmacopoeia & botanical facts (public-domain reference facts; no proprietary modern source).
Traditional functions
Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.
传统中医记载：《本经》载栀子主五内邪气、胃中热气、面赤酒疱齇鼻、白癞赤癞疮疡；《别录》疗目赤热痛、胸心大小肠大热、心中烦闷；甄权谓解五种黄病、利五淋、通小便、解消渴；朱震亨谓泻三焦之火、清胃脘血；李时珍谓治吐血衄血、血痢下血血淋。
Nature, flavor & meridians
Nature & flavor: 苦，寒，无毒（《本经》）；《别录》谓大寒；张元素谓气薄味厚、轻清上行、阳中阴；李杲谓沉、阴，入手太阴肺经血分。·Meridians: 肺（手太阴·血分）
Used in formulas
- Gardenia and Phellodendron Decoction
- Gardenia and Prepared Soybean Decoction
- Gardenia, Licorice and Prepared Soybean Decoction
- Gardenia and Magnolia Bark Decoction
- Gardenia, Fresh Ginger and Prepared Soybean Decoction
- Gardenia and Rhubarb Decoction
- Virgate Wormwood Decoction
- Immature Bitter Orange and Gardenia Decoction
- Rhubarb and Niter Decoction
Citations
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十六·木部·灌木类·栀子（条目标题·《本经》中品）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十六·木部·灌木类·栀子·释名Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its alternate names.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十六·木部·灌木类·栀子·气味（《本经》《别录》元素李杲）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十六·木部·灌木类·栀子·气味（李杲：入手太阴肺经血分）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its meridian tropism.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十六·木部·灌木类·栀子·主治（《本经》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十六·木部·灌木类·栀子·主治（时珍）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷三十六·木部·灌木类·栀子·发明（震亨·屈曲下行降火）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.
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