Ju Hua 菊花 (Chrysanthemum Flower) — Chinese Herbal Medicine

At a Glance

Herb: Ju Hua
Chinese name: 菊花 (Jú Huā)
Latin name: Flos Chrysanthemi (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.)
Nature: Slightly Cold
Taste: Sweet / Bitter
Meridian: Lung / Liver
Category: Herbs that Release the Exterior — Cool Acrid (辛凉解表药)
Introduction: Ju Hua (菊花, Chrysanthemum flower) is the principal herb for simultaneously releasing wind-heat from the exterior and clearing Liver heat affecting the eyes. Its dual ascending-descending nature enables it to both disperse exterior wind-heat (upward) and clear Liver fire and calm Liver yang (downward). White chrysanthemum (白菊花, Bai Ju Hua) is preferred for nourishing Liver yin and brightening eyes; yellow chrysanthemum (黄菊花, Huang Ju Hua) clears heat and toxins more strongly. It is both a clinical herb and a beloved daily tea.

Wind-heat exterior pattern: fever, headache, sore throat, red eyes — used in Sang Ju Yin and Yin Qiao San
Liver heat affecting eyes: red, painful, swollen eyes; excessive tearing; photophobia — yellow chrysanthemum preferred
Liver yin deficiency with dim vision: blurred vision, dry eyes from deficiency — white chrysanthemum preferred; combined with Gou Qi Zi
Liver yang rising: headache, dizziness, tinnitus, hypertension — calms Liver yang
Carbuncles and toxic swellings: yellow chrysanthemum resolves toxins
Coronary artery disease: modern use for chest pain and palpitations

Avoid in Spleen deficiency with diarrhea — cold nature may worsen
Use cautiously in qi deficiency with cold — slightly cold nature may diminish yang
Distinguish: white (Bai Ju Hua) for tonifying and eye-nourishing; yellow (Huang Ju Hua) for clearing heat and toxins
Generally very safe; widely consumed as daily tea
Rare allergic reactions in chrysanthemum-sensitive individuals

Sang Ju Yin (桑菊饮): Sang Ye, Ju Hua, Lian Qiao, Bo He, Jie Geng, Xing Ren, Lu Gen, Gan Cao — wind-heat mild cough
Qi Ju Di Huang Wan (杞菊地黄丸): Gou Qi, Ju Hua + Liu Wei Di Huang — Liver-Kidney eye deficiency
Yin Qiao San (银翘散) variations: sometimes includes Ju Hua for head symptoms
Ju Hua Yin (菊花饮): Ju Hua + Liver yang herbs — hypertension headache
Gou Qi Ju Hua Tea (枸杞菊花茶): daily tea for eye health and Liver yin

[Wenbing Tiaobian — Wēn Bìng Tiáo Biàn (温病条辨), Wu Jutong, 1798] Ju Hua + Sang Ye + Lian Qiao + Bo He + Jie Geng + Xing Ren + Lu Gen + Gan Cao: Sang Ju Yin (桑菊饮) — for early wind-heat with mild fever, cough, and slight thirst
[Classified Materia Medica — Lèi Jīng (类经), Zhang Jiebin, 1624] Ju Hua + Gou Qi Zi + Shu Di + Shan Zhu Yu + Shan Yao + Ze Xie + Fu Ling + Mu Dan Pi: Qi Ju Di Huang Wan (杞菊地黄丸) — for Liver-Kidney deficiency with blurred vision, dry eyes, and dizziness
[Classified Materia Medica — Lèi Jīng (类经), Zhang Jiebin, 1624] Ju Hua + Shi Jue Ming + Bai Shao + Gou Teng + Sheng Di + Tian Men Dong + Chuan Bei Mu + Fu Shen + Gan Cao: Ju Hua Yin (菊花饮) — for Liver yang rising causing headache and dizziness
[Compendium of Materia Medica — Běn Cǎo Gāng Mù (本草纲目), Li Shizhen, 1596] Ju Hua + Gou Qi Zi: daily tea for Liver blood/yin deficiency with tired, dry eyes — the most widely consumed medicinal tea in China
[Compendium of Materia Medica — Běn Cǎo Gāng Mù (本草纲目), Li Shizhen, 1596] Ju Hua + Jin Yin Hua + Pu Gong Ying + Zi Hua Di Ding: for toxic carbuncles and hot sores — combines to clear heat-toxin

luteolin and chlorogenic acid
- Anti-inflammatory: inhibit NF-κB and COX-2
adenosine dilates coronary vessels
- Cardiovascular: reduces blood pressure
- Cardiovascular: antiarrhythmic
- Cardiovascular: used clinically in China for coronary artery disease
Antioxidant
- flavonoids and chlorogenic acid strong free radical scavengers
Antimicrobial
- active against Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, influenza
Antiviral
- active against HSV and influenza
luteolin
- Eye-protective: reduces oxidative damage in retinal cells
luteolin and apigenin
- Antitumor: induce cancer cell apoptosis
Neuroprotective
- chlorogenic acid protective against neurodegeneration

[Shen Nong’s Classic of Materia Medica — Shén Nóng Běn Cǎo Jīng (神农本草经), ~100 BCE] “Ju Hua is bitter and neutral. It mainly treats wind and headache, dizziness and swelling, pain and tearing of the eyes, skin death, evil wind and wind dampness. With prolonged taking it benefits qi, reduces aging, and prolongs life.” (菊花，味苦平。主风头眩肿痛，目欲脱，泪出，皮肤死肌，恶风湿痹。久服利血气，轻身耐老延年。)
[Compendium of Materia Medica — Běn Cǎo Gāng Mù (本草纲目), Li Shizhen, 1596] “Ju Hua has four functions: clearing wind heat in the head and eyes; clearing Liver fire and brightening eyes; calming Liver yang and extinguishing wind; and tonifying Liver and Kidney yin (white variety). White Ju Hua nourishes; yellow Ju Hua clears. The physician must distinguish.” (菊花有四用：清头目风热，清肝明目，平肝阳息风，补肝肾阴(白者)。白菊补，黄菊泻，医者须辨。)
[Systematic Differentiation of Warm Diseases — Wēn Bìng Tiáo Biàn (温病条辨), Wu Jutong, 1798] “Sang Ju Yin: for wind-temperature with cough — the mildest formula for early wind-heat.” Ju Hua within this formula clears the head and brightens the eyes while dispersing wind-heat.