Huang Lian Liver

Huang Lian and Zhi Zi are bitter and cold. They enter the Heart and Liver meridians. They can reduce the heat from the Heart and calm the mind so that they can treat restlessness and irritability. Since bitterness has a drying nature, these herbs should be used with herbs that tonify the Yin. 

Huang Lian and Zhi Zi are both bitter and cold. They can effectively reduce excess heat from the Liver. 

Huang Lian is bitter and cold. Although it primarily enters the Heart meridian, it also enters the Stomach and Liver meridians. It can reduce the heat from the Stomach and treat the sensation of hunger, bitter taste in the mouth and foul breath. It is also suitable for use in heartburn due to Liver-heat attacking the Stomach. 

Burning pain in the stomach due to Stomach-heat and Liver-heat add Dan Shen (Salviae miltiorrhizae radix), Huang Lian (Coptidis rhizoma) and Mei Gui Hua (Rosae flos) to reduce heat and regulate the Qi. 

Huang Qin particularly reduces heat in the Lung and Large Intestine, Huang Lian in the Heart and Liver, and Huang Bai in the Kidney and Bladder. 

Huang Lian is bitter and cold, and enters the Liver, Gall Bladder, Spleen and Large Intestine meridians. It enhances the function of Huang Qin in descending the Qi and clearing heat. 

For red eyes and mental dullness due to upward rising of depressive heat of the heart, liver, and spleen, add Rhizoma Ligustici Wallichii (Chuan Xiong), Flos Chrysanthemi Morifolii (Ju Hua), Flos Lonicerae Japonicae (Yin Hua), Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis (Huang Qiri), and Rhizoma Coptidis Chinensis (Huang Lian). 

Huang Qin is bitter and cold, and can directly dry dampness and clear heat. Yin Chen Hao has an aromatic smell, can disperse the turbid dampness, revive the function of the Spleen and benefit the Gall Bladder. Yu Jin promotes the Qi movement and blood circulation. As it is pungent, bitter and cold, it can remove damp-heat in the Liver meridian. Lian Qiao is bitter and cold but has an aromatic smell it can remove heat-toxin as well as disperse the dampness. 

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