The source is from the flower bud of Lonicera japonica Thunb., L. hypoglauca Miq. and L. confuse DC., family Caprifoliaceae. The medicinal material is produced in all parts of China and collected in summer and dried in shade. The crude, the carbonized one or distillation form can be used. Medicinal Properties Sweet in flavor, cold in nature and attributive to the lung, heart and stomach meridians. Actions Clear away heat and relieve toxin, disperse wind and heat, eliminate summer-heat by cooling. Application 1. It can be used for seasonal febrile diseases or exterior syndrome of exogenous wind-heat type, no matter whether the heat of seasonal febile diseases is in weifen, qifen, or involving yingfen and xuefen. For early stage of seasonal febrile diseases, pathogenic factors being in weifen, or exterior syndrome of exogenous wind-heat type with fever and light aversion to cold, it is usually combined with Jingjie (Herba Schizonepetae), Bohe ( Herba Menthae), Niubangzi ( Fructus Arctii ), etc., such as Yin Qiao San (Powder) ; for heat in qifen with high fever and excessive thirst, combined with Shigao ( Gypsum Fibrosum), Zhimu (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae), etc.; for heat in yingfen and xuefen with eruptions, crimson and dry tongue, combined with Shengdihuang (Radix Rehmanniae ) and Mudanpi ( Cortex Moutan Radicis ) , etc.. 2. It is used for carbuncle and pyocutaneous disease, and most suitable for yang syndrome of heat-toxin type, whether the carbuncle is ripe or not or the beginning of rupture. It can be used orally or the fresh is pounded for external application, or combined with Pugongying (Herba Taxaxaci ), Yejuhua ( Flos Chrysanthemi Indici ), and Zihuadiding (Herba Viotae), etc. ; for intestinal abscess, combined with Yiyiren ( Semen Coicis), Huangqin ( Radix Scutellariae ), Danggui ( Radix Angeticae Sinensis), etc; for lung abscess, combined with Yuxingcao ( Herba Houttuyniae ), Lugen ( Rhizoma Phragmitis), and Taoren ( Semen Persicae), etc. to clear away toxic heat and remove pus. 3. For blood dysentery of heat type or purulent hematochezia, it can be decocted alone into thick decoction or used together with Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae ), Huanglian ( Rhizoma Coptidis ), Baitouweng ( Radix Putsatillae), etc. to strengthen the action of relieving dysentery. 4. For summer-heat syndrome with excessive thirst, sore throat, summer carbuncle, and heat rash, etc., it can be steamed with water into Jinyinhua Lu (Fluid) for oral or external use. Usage and Dosage 6 -15 g is used in decoction for oral use, or prepared into Jinyinhua Lu (Fluid) by steaming, just right amount is used externally. Generally the crude is used, the fresh is better and the carbonized one is used for dysentery. Explanation Rendongteng ( Caulis Lonicerae ): Its source is from the stems and leaves of Lonicera japonica Thunb., family Caprifoliaceae. Its nature, flavor and actions are similar to Jinyinhua (Flos Lonicerae), its actions of clearing heat and relieving toxin are not so strong as Jinyinhua (Flos Lonicerae) but it has the actions of activating meridians and collaterals, dispersing wind-heat from meridians and collterals to arrest pain. It is usually used for wind-damp-heat Bi-syndrome marked by red-swollen-painful joints with difficult flexion and extension.
