Yin Qiao
Yin Qiao San
Kan Traditionals
Dispels Wind and Heat, releases the Exterior.
- Herb: Honeysuckle flower, Forsythia fruit, Chinese mint herb, Platycodon root, Phragmites rhizome, Burdock fruit, Prepared soybean seed, Chinese licorice root and rhizome, Lophatherum herb, Schizonepeta herb
- Herb (Pinyin): Jin yin hua, Lian qiao, Bo he, Jie geng, Lu gen, Niu bang zi, Dan dou chi, Gan cao, Dan zhu ye, Jing jie
- Actions: Dispels Wind and Heat, releases the Exterior
- Indications: Occasional aversion to wind, Occasional sweating, especially on head, chest, hands, feet., Supports a healthy respiratory system, Supports Defensive Qi, Supports a healthy immune system, Occasional heat in the throat, Occasion body aches, Occasional sensation of warmth and heat
- Contraindications: Exterior Wind Cold invasion., Caution with Spleen Qi deficiency.
- Tongue: Red tip with a thin, white or yellow coat.
- Pulse: Floating and rapid.
Yin Qiao is based on Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder (Yin Qiao San), the representative formula for the early stage of an External Wind Heat invasion. Defensive (Wei) Qi circulates between the skin and muscles and keeps external pathogens such as Wind, Heat and Cold from reaching deeper levels.
If a Wind Heat invasion is not resolved at this stage, it can progress inward to the Qi level and settle as internal Heat or Damp Heat. Lingering Heat then damages Qi and Yin, and the resulting deficiency leaves the body open to further invasions. Releasing the Exterior while the pathogen is still at the Wei level interrupts this progression.
Yin Qiao is pungent and cool. It releases the Exterior, vents and disperses Wind Heat, resolves toxicity and clears Heat from the Lung.
Formula Composition
Honeysuckle flower (Jin Yin Hua) and Forsythia fruit (Lian Qiao), the chief herbs, disperse externally contracted Wind Heat, resolve Heat toxin and clear Heat from the Lung. Chinese mint (Bo He) and Burdock fruit (Niu Bang Zi) assist them. Mint disperses Wind Heat from the Upper Burner, clears the head and eyes and soothes the throat. Burdock disperses Wind Heat and benefits the throat. Schizonepeta herb (Jing Jie) and prepared Soybean seed (Dan Dou Chi) release the Exterior. Schizonepeta is slightly warm, and together they help open the surface so the cooling herbs can vent Heat outward.
Platycodon root (Jie Geng) diffuses and lifts Lung Qi, dispels Phlegm, benefits the throat and guides the formula to the Upper Burner. Paired with Burdock, it is especially effective for throat discomfort. Lophatherum herb (Dan Zhu Ye) and Phragmites rhizome (Lu Gen) clear Heat, generate fluids and promote healthy urination, giving Heat an exit downward. Chinese licorice root and rhizome (Gan Cao) clears Heat, moistens the Lung, supports Spleen Qi and harmonizes the formula.
Related Kan Formulas
- Calm Breath Formula: clears Lung Heat from an external invasion, moistens the Lung and transforms Phlegm.
- Blue Green Lung Formula: releases an exterior Wind Cold invasion, warms the Lung and transforms Phlegm.
- Great White Lung Formula: clears Wind Heat, or Wind Cold transforming into Heat in the Lung, and clears Phlegm.
- Lung Qi Release: warms and releases a lingering exterior invasion.
- Initial Defense: clears exterior Heat.
To clear Heat and expel Wind more strongly, combine with Antiphlogistic Formula or Zhong Gan Ling.
Origins and Development
Yin Qiao San is recorded in Systematic Differentiation of Warm Diseases (Wen Bing Tiao Bian) by Wu Ju-Tong, 1798.