Yin Qiao Wan - Honeysuckle and Forsythia Formula - TCM Herbal Formula

Chinese Name: Yin Qiao Wan
English Name: Honeysuckle and Forsythia Formula

Formula Category


Clinical Usage and Indications

Common cold, flu, general immunity, fever w/slight or no chills, headache, desire for fluids, cough, sore throat.

Pulse will be floating and rapid and the Tongue will have a red tip with a thin white or yellow tongue coating.

Related TCM Diagnostic Patterns


Staff Clinician Notes:

There are no staff notes at this time.

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Cautions and Contraindications:

None at this time.  As always consult with an acupuncturist/herbalist before use.

Related Western Medical Conditions:


Individual Chinese Herbs In This Formula:


  • Bo He
  • Herb Functions
    • Expels wind heat particularly from the head region - fever, headaches, red eyes, cough, sore throat.
    • Vents rashes - accelerates the activity of rashes towards the surface to quicken healing.
    • Resolves LV Qi Stagnation - emotional issues, PMS, menstrual issues, pressure in chest or sides of body.

  • Contraindications
    • May contribute to insufficient lactation in nursing mothers
    • Avoid excessive sweating/use in weak patients or those who sweat easily
    • May injure yin, use caution in yin deficiency patients

  • Dan Dou Chi
  • Herb Functions
    • Releases both exterior hot or cold (depending on how it is prepared), also good for exterior disorders with underlying yin deficiency (due to its mild nature).
    • Eliminates irritability, restlessness, insomnia following febrile disease.

  • Contraindications
    • Avoid with nursing mothers - may inhibit lactation.

  • Dan Zhu Ye
  • Herb Functions
    • Clears heat - heat patterns with irritability and thirst, mouth sores and swollen, painful gums due to heat in the heart or stomach channels.
    • Promotes urination and clears damp-heat - lin syndrome, especially for heat in the small intestine channel with above symptoms and dark red tip on the tongue.

  • Contraindications
    • Avoid during Pregnancy.

  • Gan Cao
  • Herb Functions
    • Tonifies the spleen and augments qi - spleen deficiency w/shortness of breath, fatigue, loose stools (si jun zi tong).
    • Qi and/or blood deficiency w/irregular pluse or palpitations (Zhi Gan Cao Tang).
    • Moistens the lungs and stops cough - heat/cold in the lungs (Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang).
    • Clears heat and toxic fire (raw) - carbuncles, sores, sore throat due to fire toxin (internally or topically).
    • Alleviates pain and stops spasms - abdomen or legs (Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang).
    • Often used to harmonize and/or moderate characteristics of other herbs.
    • Antidote for toxic substances (internally and topically).

  • Contraindications
    • Avoid with excess dampness, nausea, vomiting.
    • Incompatible with Gan Sui, Da Ji, Yuan Hua, Hai Zao (although used in some formulas with Hai Zao).
    • If taken for long periods of time, may cause hypertension and/or edema.

  • Jie Geng
  • Herb Functions
    • Opens up and disseminates lung qi, expels phlegm - cough (wind-heat/cold), benefits the throat (sore, loss of voice).
    • Promotes discharge of pus.
    • Guides other herbs to the upper body.

  • Jin Yin Hua
  • Herb Functions
    • Clear heat, relieve toxic fire - hot, painful swellings in the throat, breast, eyes; intestinal abscesses.
    • Expel wind-heat - fever, aversion to wind, sore throat, headache; also for summer-heat.
    • Clear damp heat from the lower jiao - dysentery, lin syndrome.
    • Stem, Ren Dong Teng, is used for similar functions - abscesses, sores, damp-heat bi syndromes.

  • Jing Jie
  • Herb Functions
    • Expels wind and releases the exterior - useful for either wind-cold or wind-heat
    • Useful for boils, carbuncles, etc. in the initial stages
    • Resolve itching (wind-heat in the blood level), may be used topically
    • Stops bleeding, blood in stool (secondary herb), uterine bleeding

  • Contraindications
    • Avoid in measles and/or w/open sores
    • Caution with exterior deficiency
    • Avoid with liver wind patterns

    • Lian Qiao
    • Herb Functions
      • Clear heat and toxins, dissipates nodules - carbuncles and hot sores, neck lumps.
      • Expel wind-heat - fever, slight chills, sore throat, headache.

    • Niu Bang Zi
    • Herb Functions
      • Expels wind-heat (acrid), benefits throat - fever, cough, sore, red, swollen throat.
      • Clears heat (bitter, cold), relieves toxicity, vents rashes - red swellings, carbuncles, mumps, acute febrile rashes, early stages of measles with incomplete expression.
      • Moistens intestines (rich plant oil - slippery) - constipation due to wind-heat (cold nature of the herb).

    • Contraindications
      • Avoid in qi deficiency, diarrhea, lack of excess heat.
      • Avoid when open sores and/or carbuncles are present.

    • Xian Lu Gen
    • Herb Functions
      • This is Lu Gen in its fresh form.  See the Lu Gen page for all indications.  
      • Xian Lu Gen is stronger in clearing heat, generating body fluids and promoting urination than the dried herb.