Herb Leaf (叶 yè)

He Ye

Lotus leaf · 荷叶

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. · Folium Nelumbinis

Also known as: Lián Yè (莲叶), Xiān Hé Yè (鲜荷叶), Gān Hé Yè (干荷叶)

He Ye (Lotus leaf) plant

Images shown are for educational purposes only

Lotus leaf is a gentle, versatile herb best known for clearing summer heat and supporting healthy digestion. It helps the body cope with hot, humid weather and is widely used in traditional teas and porridges during summer. It also has a mild blood-cooling action and is used for certain types of bleeding.

Category Herbs that clear Summer-Heat (清热解暑药)
Therapeutic focus Digestive Health Summer wellness Weight management Bleeding Disorders

TCM Properties

Temperature

Neutral

Taste

Bitter (苦 kǔ)

Channels entered

Liver, Spleen, Stomach

Parts used

Leaf (叶 yè)

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What This Herb Does

Every herb has a specific set of actions — here's what He Ye does in the body, explained in both everyday and TCM terms

Therapeutic focus

In practical terms, He Ye is primarily used to support these areas of health:

Digestive Health Summer wellness Weight management Bleeding Disorders

TCM Actions

In TCM terminology, these are the specific therapeutic actions that He Ye performs to restore balance in the body:

Clears Summer-Heat and Resolves Dampness Raises Clear Yang Cools the Blood and Stops Bleeding

How these actions work

'Clears Summer-Heat and resolves Dampness' means He Ye can clear the hot, heavy, oppressive feeling that comes from exposure to summer heat and humidity. In TCM, Summer-Heat is a seasonal pathogen that causes symptoms like fever, intense thirst, irritability, and scanty dark urine. He Ye's bitter taste and aromatic quality help clear this heat and transform the dampness that often accompanies it. Fresh lotus leaf is particularly effective for this purpose and is commonly used in teas and porridges during hot weather.

'Raises the clear Yang of the Spleen' refers to He Ye's ability to lift the Spleen's ascending function. The Spleen is responsible for transforming food and fluids and sending the refined nutrients upward. When this ascending function fails, symptoms like diarrhea, a heavy sinking feeling, and even organ prolapse can occur. Classical physicians noted that the lotus leaf grows upward out of muddy water and faces the sky, symbolising a powerful lifting force. Li Dongyuan famously used He Ye in his Zhi Shu Wan formula specifically for this ascending property. This makes He Ye useful for summer diarrhea caused by both heat and Spleen weakness.

'Cools the Blood and stops bleeding' means He Ye can address bleeding conditions that arise from heat in the blood, such as nosebleeds, vomiting blood, blood in the stool, or heavy menstrual bleeding. For this purpose, the charred form (He Ye Tan) is more commonly used, as the charring process enhances its astringent, blood-stopping ability.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony. He Ye is used to help correct these specific patterns.

Why He Ye addresses this pattern

He Ye directly targets Summer-Heat and Dampness through its bitter taste and aromatic quality. Its bitter flavour clears heat and dries dampness, while its light, ascending nature lifts turbid dampness away from the Spleen and Stomach. It enters the Liver, Spleen, and Stomach channels, which are the primary organs affected when Summer-Heat and Dampness invade the middle burner. This makes He Ye especially well suited for the oppressive heat and digestive sluggishness typical of this pattern.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Fever

Low-grade fever from summer heat exposure

Excessive Thirst

Thirst with irritability

Diarrhea

Loose stools from summer dampness

Nausea

Nausea with poor appetite in hot weather

Commonly Used For

These are conditions where He Ye is frequently used — but only when they arise from the specific patterns it addresses, not in all cases

Arises from: Summer Heat with Dampness Spleen Qi Sinking

TCM Interpretation

TCM sees diarrhea as a failure of the Spleen's transforming and ascending function. In summer, external Summer-Heat and Dampness overwhelm the Spleen, causing it to lose its ability to properly separate the clear (nutrients) from the turbid (waste). The clear fails to rise and the turbid fails to descend properly, resulting in watery stools. In chronic cases, the Spleen Qi itself becomes weakened and sinks, unable to hold digestive contents in their proper course.

Why He Ye Helps

He Ye addresses summer diarrhea from two angles. First, its bitter, aromatic quality clears Summer-Heat and transforms Dampness from the middle burner, directly removing the pathogenic factors that are overwhelming the Spleen. Second, its unique ascending nature lifts the Spleen's clear Yang back to its proper position, restoring the separation of clear and turbid. This dual action makes it effective for both acute summer diarrhea and chronic Spleen-deficiency diarrhea, which is why classical physicians frequently paired it with Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes) and Bian Dou (Hyacinth Bean) for these conditions.

Also commonly used for

Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds from blood heat

Postmenstrual Bleeding

Menorrhagia and uterine bleeding

High Blood Pressure

Mild blood pressure support

Nausea

Nausea and poor appetite in summer

Heat Stroke

Heatstroke and summer heat illness

Dark Blood In Stool

Rectal bleeding from blood heat

Herb Properties

Every herb has an inherent temperature, taste, and affinity for specific channels — these properties determine how it interacts with the body

Temperature

Neutral

Taste

Bitter (苦 kǔ)

Channels Entered

Liver Spleen Stomach

Parts Used

Leaf (叶 yè)

Dosage & Preparation

These are general dosage guidelines for He Ye — always follow your practitioner's recommendation, as dosages vary based on the formula and your individual condition

Standard dosage

3–10g (dried leaf); 15–30g (fresh leaf); 3–6g (He Ye Tan / charred form)

Maximum dosage

Up to 30g of fresh leaf in decoction for acute summer-heat conditions; dried leaf generally not exceeded beyond 15g. He Ye is a food-grade herb with a high safety margin.

Dosage notes

Fresh lotus leaf (鲜荷叶, 15–30g) is preferred for clearing summer-heat and resolving damp-heat, as the fresh form has stronger aromatic summer-heat-clearing action. Dried lotus leaf (干荷叶, 3–10g) is used for raising clear Yang, treating Spleen-deficiency diarrhoea, and as an adjunct in tonifying formulas. Charred lotus leaf (荷叶炭, 3–6g) is the form specifically used for stopping bleeding, as the charring process enhances its astringent haemostatic properties while adding a blood-stasis-resolving action. When used as an adjunct (药引) in formulas to raise clear Yang and guide other herbs upward, a small piece of the leaf (about 3g) is typically sufficient.

Preparation

No special decoction handling is required. He Ye is simply added to the decoction pot with other herbs. When using fresh lotus leaf for summer-heat, it may be added later in the decoction (last 10–15 minutes) to preserve its aromatic volatile compounds. The charred form (He Ye Tan) is prepared separately by a specific calcination method and used as-is in formulas.

Processing Methods

In TCM, the same herb can be prepared in different ways to change its effects — here's how processing alters what He Ye does

Processing method

The clean lotus leaf is charred using the sealed-pot calcination method (煅炭法). The leaf is placed in a pot, sealed with another pot on top, with white paper between them sealed with clay. It is heated until the paper turns golden-brown, then allowed to cool before removing.

How it changes properties

Charring enhances the astringent and hemostatic properties while reducing the herb's heat-clearing action. The charred form gains a stronger ability to stop bleeding through astringency and can also disperse blood stasis. The original ascending, Summer-Heat-clearing quality is diminished.

When to use this form

Use He Ye Tan specifically for bleeding conditions such as uterine bleeding (崩漏), blood in the stool, postpartum hemorrhage, and blood dizziness. When the primary goal is stopping bleeding rather than clearing summer heat, the charred form is preferred. Typical dose is 3-6g.

Common Herb Pairs

These ingredients are traditionally combined with He Ye for enhanced therapeutic effect

Bai Bian Dou
Bai Bian Dou 1:1 (He Ye 10g : Bai Bian Dou 10g)

He Ye clears Summer-Heat and raises Spleen Yang while Bai Bian Dou (Hyacinth Bean) strengthens the Spleen and resolves Dampness. Together they simultaneously clear summer heat, support digestion, and stop diarrhea, addressing both the pathogen and the underlying Spleen weakness.

When to use: Summer diarrhea with both heat-dampness invasion and underlying Spleen weakness, poor appetite, and digestive sluggishness in hot weather.

Bai Zhu
Bai Zhu 1:2 (He Ye 6g : Bai Zhu 12g)

He Ye lifts the clear Yang of the Spleen while Bai Zhu tonifies and dries the Spleen. Together they restore the Spleen's ascending and transforming functions. This is a classic pairing referenced in classical texts for strengthening the Spleen's Qi and resolving dampness simultaneously.

When to use: Spleen-deficiency diarrhea, abdominal distension, poor appetite, and a heavy sinking sensation in the body, particularly when Spleen Qi is both weak and sinking.

Sheng Ma
Sheng Ma 2:1 (He Ye one leaf : Sheng Ma 15g) as in Qing Zhen Tang

Both herbs have ascending properties, but they work through different mechanisms. He Ye raises Spleen Yang and clears dampness, while Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga) lifts Yang Qi and vents pathogens outward. Together they powerfully raise the clear Yang and disperse turbid dampness from the head.

When to use: Heavy headaches with swelling and a sense of pressure in the head and face (the classical condition called 'thunder-head wind'), or dizziness and heaviness in the head from dampness obstructing the clear Yang.

Pu Huang
Pu Huang 3:2 (He Ye 3 leaves : Pu Huang 60g) as in He Ye San

He Ye cools blood and stops bleeding while Pu Huang (Cattail Pollen) invigorates blood and stops bleeding. Together they both stop hemorrhage and prevent blood stasis, ensuring that the stopped blood does not become stagnant.

When to use: Postpartum blood dizziness with bleeding, or various blood-heat hemorrhages such as uterine bleeding, nosebleeds, or blood in the stool.

Comparable Ingredients

These ingredients have overlapping uses — here's how to tell them apart

Xiang Ru
He Ye vs Xiang Ru

Both herbs address Summer-Heat, but they work very differently. Xiang Ru (Elsholtzia) is acrid and warm, releasing the exterior and promoting sweating to resolve summer cold-dampness with chills. He Ye is bitter and neutral, clearing internal summer heat and raising Spleen Yang without promoting sweating. Choose Xiang Ru when summer illness presents with chills and exterior symptoms. Choose He Ye for summer heat with thirst, irritability, and diarrhea but no exterior signs.

Ge Gen
He Ye vs Ge Gen

Both herbs can raise Yang and treat diarrhea, but Ge Gen (Kudzu Root) is acrid and cool, primarily releasing the exterior, generating fluids, and raising Yang in the context of external wind-heat with stiff neck. He Ye is bitter and neutral, primarily clearing Summer-Heat and raising Spleen Yang in the context of summer dampness. Choose Ge Gen for diarrhea with exterior wind-heat symptoms. Choose He Ye for summer-dampness diarrhea or when a specific Spleen-Yang-raising action is needed without exterior release.

Common Substitutes & Adulterants

Related species and common adulterations to be aware of when sourcing He Ye

He Ye is widely available and inexpensive, so outright adulteration is uncommon. However, the following issues can arise: 1. Confusion with other parts of the lotus plant: The leaf stalk (He Geng, 荷梗), the leaf base near the stalk (He Di, 荷蒂), and the leaf itself have different clinical applications and should not be interchanged. 2. Water lily leaves vs. lotus leaves: True lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) leaves are papery and rise above the water, while water lily (Nymphaea) leaves are thicker and float on the surface with a distinctive notch. These are botanically and medicinally distinct. 3. Quality degradation: Old, improperly stored leaves that have lost their green colour and aromatic quality may be sold. Fresh or well-preserved material with a clean scent is preferred.

Educational content — always consult a qualified healthcare provider or TCM practitioner before using any herb.

Toxicity Classification

Classical Chinese pharmacopoeia toxicity rating for He Ye

Non-toxic

He Ye is classified as non-toxic in classical sources and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. It has a long history of use as both food and medicine, and is officially listed as a food-medicine dual-use substance in China. The alkaloid nuciferine is the primary bioactive compound, and while pharmacological studies show it has a wide safety margin, excessive long-term use of concentrated lotus leaf extract may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in people with weak digestion. At standard decoction doses (3–10g), no significant toxicity concerns exist.

Contraindications

Situations where He Ye should not be used or requires extra caution

Caution

Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold (脾胃虚寒) patterns: He Ye's bitter, cooling nature can worsen symptoms such as chronic loose stools, cold abdomen, and poor appetite in people with cold-type digestive weakness.

Caution

Qi and Blood deficiency: The classical Ben Cao Cong Xin (本草从新) warns that He Ye has ascending and dispersing properties that are consumptive, and should be avoided by those who are deficient (升散消耗，虚者禁之).

Caution

Pregnancy: High doses of lotus leaf extract may have stimulating effects. Pregnant women should use only under practitioner guidance and at conservative doses.

Caution

Menstruation with heavy flow from cold-deficiency: He Ye's blood-cooling and ascending-dispersing actions may be inappropriate when bleeding is due to cold-deficiency rather than blood-heat.

Classical Incompatibilities

Traditional Chinese pharmacological incompatibilities — herbs or substances to avoid combining with He Ye

He Ye does not appear on the Eighteen Incompatibilities (十八反) or Nineteen Mutual Fears (十九畏) lists. However, the Ben Cao Gang Mu notes that He Ye "fears" (畏) tung oil (桐油) and silver (白银). This is a traditional processing and storage caution rather than a clinical drug interaction.

Special Populations

Important considerations for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pediatric use

Pregnancy

Use with caution during pregnancy. While He Ye is non-toxic and has a long history of food use, its ascending-dispersing nature and blood-moving properties warrant care. One classical formula (Zhao Tai San, 罩胎散) actually used dried lotus leaf to treat fever during pregnancy, suggesting low-dose use was considered acceptable historically. However, high-dose concentrated lotus leaf extracts should be avoided during pregnancy without practitioner supervision, as modern sources note potential stimulating effects at elevated doses.

Breastfeeding

No specific contraindication is documented for breastfeeding. He Ye is officially classified as a food-medicine dual-use substance in China and is widely consumed as a tea. At standard dietary and medicinal doses, it is generally considered compatible with breastfeeding. However, because of its cooling nature, nursing mothers with cold-type digestive weakness should use it cautiously, as excessive cooling herbs may theoretically affect digestion and milk production.

Children

He Ye is considered gentle and safe for children at appropriately reduced doses (typically one-third to one-half of the adult dose, depending on age). It is commonly used in paediatric formulas for summer-heat diarrhoea and as a food ingredient (lotus leaf congee or rice wraps). For children under 3 years, use should be guided by a qualified practitioner.

Drug Interactions

If you are taking pharmaceutical medications, be aware of these potential interactions with He Ye

No well-documented serious drug interactions have been established for He Ye at standard medicinal doses. However, the following theoretical considerations apply based on known pharmacological properties of its active compounds:

  • Antihypertensive medications: Nuciferine has demonstrated vasodilatory and blood-pressure-lowering effects in animal studies. Concurrent use with antihypertensive drugs could theoretically produce additive blood-pressure-lowering effects. Blood pressure should be monitored.
  • Lipid-lowering drugs (statins, fibrates): Lotus leaf alkaloids and flavonoids have shown lipid-lowering activity in both animal and human studies. While synergistic benefit is possible, additive effects should be monitored.
  • Antidiabetic medications: Lotus leaf flavonoids can inhibit alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase. Patients on blood-sugar-lowering medications should be aware of potential additive hypoglycaemic effects.

Dietary Advice

Foods and dietary considerations when taking He Ye

When taking He Ye for summer-heat or dampness, favour light, easily digestible foods such as congee, mung bean soup, and fresh vegetables. Avoid greasy, heavy, and excessively cold raw foods that may impair Spleen function. He Ye itself is commonly incorporated directly into food: lotus leaf congee (荷叶粥), lotus leaf rice (荷叶饭), and lotus leaf tea are traditional summer dietary preparations. Pairing with hawthorn (Shan Zha) in tea form is a popular folk remedy for supporting healthy lipid metabolism.

Botanical Description

Physical characteristics and morphology of the He Ye source plant

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (family Nelumbonaceae, historically classified under Nymphaeaceae) is a perennial aquatic herb that grows in ponds, lakes, and paddy fields. The plant sends up large, round, shield-shaped leaves on long stalks that rise 50–150 cm above the water surface. Individual leaves can reach 20–60 cm in diameter, with a distinctive waxy, water-repellent upper surface and prominent radiating veins on the underside. The famous "lotus effect" refers to the leaf's self-cleaning micro-surface structure that causes water to bead and roll off.

The rhizome (lotus root) grows horizontally in mud, while the plant produces large, showy flowers in shades of white, pink, and red, up to 20 cm across. After flowering, the distinctive cone-shaped seed pod (lotus receptacle) develops, containing the lotus seeds. Virtually every part of the lotus plant is used in Chinese medicine under different names: the leaf (He Ye), seed (Lian Zi), seed embryo (Lian Zi Xin), root node (Ou Jie), flower (He Hua), receptacle (Lian Fang), and stamen (Lian Xu).

Sourcing & Harvesting

Where He Ye is sourced, when it's harvested or collected, and how to assess quality

Harvesting season

Summer and autumn (June through September), when the leaves are fully expanded but before the flowers have fully opened. Leaves are sun-dried to 70–80% dryness, then the stalks are removed and the leaves folded into half-circles or fan shapes for final drying.

Primary growing regions

He Ye is produced across most of China wherever lotus is cultivated in ponds and waterways. Major producing regions include Hunan, Hubei, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces. He Ye is not strongly associated with a single dao di (道地) terroir region the way some herbs are, because lotus cultivation is widespread throughout southern and central China. However, material from the lake regions of Hunan, Hubei, and the Jiangnan area (south of the Yangtze) is traditionally considered of good quality due to abundant water resources and favourable growing conditions.

Quality indicators

Good quality dried He Ye is deep green to yellow-green on the upper surface, with the underside a pale greyish-brown showing clearly visible radiating veins (about 21–22 prominent veins fanning out from the centre). The leaf should be relatively intact, not overly fragmented, and the central stalk base should be visible. The texture is brittle and breaks easily. A slight, clean aromatic fragrance is a sign of freshness, and the taste should be mildly bitter. Avoid leaves that are excessively brown, mouldy, or have lost their fragrance, as these indicate degraded quality or improper storage.

Classical Texts

Key passages from the classical Chinese medical texts that describe He Ye and its therapeutic uses

Ben Cao Gang Mu (本草纲目) — Li Shizhen

Original: 「生发元气，裨助脾胃，涩精浊，散瘀血，消水肿、痈肿，发痘疮。治吐血、咯血、衄血、下血、溺血、血淋、崩中、产后恶血、损伤败血。」

Translation: "[He Ye] engenders and raises the fundamental Qi, supports the Spleen and Stomach, restrains seminal turbidity, disperses static blood, reduces oedema and abscesses, and brings out pox rashes. It treats vomiting of blood, coughing of blood, nosebleed, rectal bleeding, bloody urine, blood strangury, flooding and spotting, postpartum malign blood, and damaged stagnant blood."

Ben Cao Cong Xin (本草从新)

Original: 「升散消耗，虚者禁之。」

Translation: "[He Ye] ascends, disperses, and is consumptive. Those who are deficient should avoid it."

Zheng Zhi Yao Jue (证治要诀) — Dai Yuanli

Original: 「荷叶服之，令人瘦劣，单服可以消阳水浮肿之气。」

Translation: "Taking lotus leaf makes a person lean. Taken alone, it can disperse the Qi of yang-type oedema."

Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao (日华子本草)

Original: 「止渴，并产后口干，心肺燥，烦闷。」

Translation: "Stops thirst, and [treats] postpartum dry mouth, Heart-Lung dryness, and vexation."

Historical Context

The history and evolution of He Ye's use in Chinese medicine over the centuries

The lotus (lian, 莲) holds deep cultural significance in China, symbolising purity because the flower rises unblemished from muddy water. The name He Ye (荷叶) simply means "lotus leaf." Every part of the lotus plant has been used medicinally under distinct names, making it one of the most versatile plants in the Chinese pharmacopoeia. Early references to lotus leaf appear in the Ben Cao Shi Yi (本草拾遗, Tang dynasty) and the Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao (日华子本草, Song dynasty).

Li Shizhen's Ben Cao Gang Mu (1578) provided the most comprehensive classical account of He Ye, documenting its ability to "engender fundamental Qi and support the Spleen and Stomach" as well as its extensive haemostatic applications. The Zheng Zhi Yao Jue (证治要诀) by Dai Yuanli notably recorded that lotus leaf "makes a person lean," an observation now supported by modern lipid-lowering research. This classical weight-loss association has made lotus leaf tea enormously popular in contemporary China, earning it the folk nickname "the fat person's herb" (肥人药). In 1991, China's Ministry of Health officially listed He Ye on its "both food and medicine" (药食同源) list, confirming its long dual-use tradition.

Modern Research

4 published studies investigating the pharmacological effects or clinical outcomes of He Ye

1

Comprehensive review of nuciferine for obesity and obesity-related diseases (2021)

Wan Y, Xia J, Xu JF, Chen L, Yang Y, Wu JJ, Tang F, Ao H, Peng C. Pharmacological Research, 2022, 175: 106002.

This review comprehensively summarised research on nuciferine, the main aporphine alkaloid in lotus leaf. The authors found evidence for anti-obesity, lipid-lowering, blood-sugar-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumour effects through regulation of metabolic pathways, gut microbiota, and calcium signalling. Clinical application data and safety profiles were also reviewed, supporting nuciferine's potential as an anti-obesity agent.

PubMed
2

Randomized double-blind clinical trial of lotus leaf extract in overweight patients (2021)

Kim S, Hong KB, Jo K, Suh HJ. Journal of Functional Foods, 2021, 87: 104803.

A 12-week randomized double-blind trial (n=60) tested Nelumbo nucifera leaf extract (containing quercetin-3-glucuronide as main component) in overweight patients. Compared with the control group, both men and women showed significantly decreased whole-body fat after lotus leaf extract ingestion. Men also showed significant reductions in visceral fat and waist circumference.

PubMed
3

Hemostatic action of lotus leaf charcoal via transformation of flavonol glycosides (2020)

Chen Y, Chen Q, Wang X, Sun F, Fan Y, Liu X, Li H, Deng Z. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2020, 249: 112364.

This study investigated the haemostatic mechanism of lotus leaf charcoal (He Ye Tan), the charred form used in TCM to stop bleeding. The researchers found that the charring process transforms flavonol glycosides into flavonol aglycons, which are likely responsible for the enhanced blood-stopping effect. This provides a pharmacological basis for the traditional processing method.

PubMed
4

Vasodilatory activity of lotus leaf extract and nuciferine on rat thoracic aorta (2022)

Deng H, Xu Q, Sang XT, Huang X, Jin LL, Chen FE, Shen QK, Quan ZS, Cao LH. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2022, 13: 946445.

This preclinical study examined the blood-vessel-relaxing properties of lotus leaf extract for the first time. Nuciferine was identified as the main vasodilatory compound, working through multiple mechanisms including the nitric oxide signalling pathway, potassium and calcium channels, and adrenergic receptors. These findings support the traditional use of lotus leaf for conditions associated with elevated blood pressure.

PubMed

Research on individual TCM herbs is growing but still limited by Western clinical trial standards. These studies provide emerging evidence and should be considered alongside practitioner expertise.