Herb Whole plant / Aerial parts (全草 quán cǎo)

Tian Ji Huang

Japanese St. John's Wort · 田基黄

Hypericum japonicum Thunb. ex Murray · Herba Hyperici Japonici

Also known as: Di Er Cao (地耳草)

Tian Ji Huang is a small herb widely used in southern Chinese folk medicine, valued primarily for its ability to clear Dampness and Heat from the liver and gallbladder. It is best known as a treatment for jaundice and hepatitis, and is also applied externally for boils, snakebites, and traumatic injuries. Its cool, bitter nature makes it unsuitable for long-term use in people with cold or weak digestion.

Category Herbs that clear Heat and dry Dampness (清热燥湿药) Herbs that clear Heat and resolve Toxicity (清热解毒药)
Therapeutic focus Liver Health Digestive Health Skin Health Detoxification

TCM Properties

Temperature

Cool

Taste

Sweet (甘 gān), Bitter (苦 kǔ)

Channels entered

Lungs, Liver, Stomach

Parts used

Whole plant / Aerial parts (全草 quán cǎo)

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Educational content • Consult qualified TCM practitioners for diagnosis and treatment

What This Herb Does

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

Therapeutic focus

In practical terms, Tian Ji Huang is primarily used to support these areas of health:

Liver Health Digestive Health Skin Health Detoxification

TCM Actions

In TCM terminology, these are the specific therapeutic actions that Tian Ji Huang performs to restore balance in the body:

Clears Heat and Drains Dampness Clears Heat and Resolves Toxicity Promotes bile flow and relieves jaundice Invigorates Blood and Reduces Swelling Promotes Urination

How these actions work

'Clears Heat and resolves Dampness' means this herb drains accumulated Heat and Dampness from the body, particularly from the Liver, Gallbladder, and Stomach. This is why it is best known for treating Damp-Heat jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), diarrhea, and dysentery. Its cool nature and bitter taste give it the ability to dry Dampness and direct pathogenic Heat downward and out of the body.

'Clears Heat and resolves toxins' refers to its ability to counteract toxic Heat conditions such as boils, abscesses, sore throat (tonsillitis), mouth ulcers, red swollen eyes, and snakebite. The herb can be taken internally as a decoction or applied externally as a fresh poultice on infected or inflamed skin.

'Promotes bile flow and relieves jaundice' describes Tian Ji Huang's particular affinity for the hepatobiliary system. Modern clinical use focuses on its role in hepatitis and cholestasis, where it helps the Liver and Gallbladder process and excrete bile, thereby reducing the yellowing of jaundice. In folk and clinical practice across southern China, it is one of the most commonly used single herbs for treating hepatitis.

'Disperses Blood stasis and reduces swelling' means it can move stagnant Blood and bring down inflammation. This action explains its traditional use for traumatic injuries and venomous snakebites, where it is typically crushed fresh and applied directly to the affected area.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony. Tian Ji Huang is used to help correct these specific patterns.

Why Tian Ji Huang addresses this pattern

Tian Ji Huang's cool nature and bitter-sweet taste directly target the Liver and Stomach channels, making it well-suited to clear Damp-Heat that has accumulated in the Liver and Gallbladder. Its ability to promote bile flow and drain Dampness through urination addresses the core mechanism of this pattern, where obstructed Damp-Heat impairs the Liver's free-coursing function and causes bile to overflow into the skin and eyes. This is why it is considered a primary herb for jaundice in folk medicine traditions.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Jaundice

Yellow discoloration of skin and eyes from Damp-Heat obstructing bile flow

Dark Urine

Scanty, dark yellow urine

Poor Appetite

Nausea and poor appetite from Damp-Heat congesting the middle

Abdominal Distention

Fullness and discomfort in the upper abdomen and flanks

Commonly Used For

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

Arises from: Liver and Gallbladder Damp-Heat

TCM Interpretation

In TCM, acute hepatitis is most commonly understood as Damp-Heat invading or accumulating in the Liver and Gallbladder. The Liver's job is to ensure the smooth flow of Qi and bile. When Damp-Heat blocks this flow, bile overflows and stains the skin and eyes yellow (jaundice), while the obstruction causes flank pain, nausea, poor appetite, and dark urine. In chronic cases, lingering Damp-Heat can also lead to Blood stasis in the Liver, contributing to liver enlargement and pain. The Spleen and Stomach are often involved as well, since Dampness tends to impair their digestive and transformative functions.

Why Tian Ji Huang Helps

Tian Ji Huang directly enters the Liver and Stomach channels and has a cool nature that quells the Heat component of this pattern. Its bitter taste dries Dampness, while its ability to promote bile flow and urination gives the body two pathways to expel the accumulated Damp-Heat. Its toxin-resolving action addresses the inflammatory damage to liver tissue. Clinical reports from hospitals in southern China have documented its use in treating both acute infectious hepatitis in adults and children, as well as chronic and lingering hepatitis, often delivered as concentrated decoctions or injections. Modern research has identified hepatoprotective flavonoid compounds, including quercetin 7-rhamnoside, that may explain part of this clinical effect.

Also commonly used for

Dysentery

Bacterial dysentery with Damp-Heat presentation

Diarrhea

Acute diarrhea from Damp-Heat in the intestines

Viral Conjunctivitis

Acute red, swollen, painful eyes

Boils

Skin boils and abscesses, applied both internally and as a poultice

Sore Throat

Acute tonsillitis with swelling and pain

Mouth Ulcers

Oral ulcers from Heat toxin

Ascites

Late-stage schistosomiasis or liver cirrhosis with ascites, used historically in clinical settings

Snakebite

Venomous snakebite, both internal decoction and external poultice of fresh herb

Herb Properties

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

Temperature

Cool

Taste

Sweet (甘 gān), Bitter (苦 kǔ)

Channels Entered

Lungs Liver Stomach

Parts Used

Whole plant / Aerial parts (全草 quán cǎo)

Dosage & Preparation

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

Standard dosage

15-30g (dried herb in decoction)

Maximum dosage

Up to 90-120g of dried herb (or 30-60g fresh herb as standard use) in large doses for acute conditions, under practitioner supervision only.

Dosage notes

Use 15-30g of dried herb for standard decoction in most indications. Fresh herb is commonly used at 30-60g. For acute infectious hepatitis or severe damp-heat conditions, large doses up to 60-120g of dried herb have been used traditionally in folk practice. For external application (boils, abscesses, snake bites), fresh herb is pounded and applied topically as a poultice, or the decoction is used as a wash. The juice of the fresh plant can also be taken directly. Because Tian Ji Huang is cool and bitter, lower doses should be used in patients with any tendency toward Spleen weakness, and treatment duration should be limited to avoid damaging digestive function.

Preparation

No special decoction handling required. The dried whole herb is simply decocted in water in the standard manner. Fresh herb may alternatively be pounded to extract the juice for internal use or external poultice application.

Common Herb Pairs

These ingredients are traditionally combined with Tian Ji Huang for enhanced therapeutic effect

Yin Chen
Yin Chen 1:1 (Yin Chen Hao 15-30g : Tian Ji Huang 15-30g)

Both herbs clear Damp-Heat and relieve jaundice, but through complementary mechanisms. Yin Chen Hao (Artemisia capillaris) is the premier jaundice-resolving herb with strong choleretic action, while Tian Ji Huang adds toxin-resolving and anti-inflammatory effects that protect liver tissue. Together they create a more complete approach to hepatitis with jaundice.

When to use: Acute hepatitis with prominent jaundice, dark urine, and signs of both Damp-Heat and toxic Heat damaging the liver.

Zhi Zi
Zhi Zi Tian Ji Huang 15-30g : Zhi Zi 6-10g

Zhi Zi (Gardenia fruit) clears Heat and drains it downward through the urine, while also clearing Heat from the Triple Burner. Combined with Tian Ji Huang's Liver and Gallbladder Damp-Heat clearing action, the pair provides broad-spectrum Damp-Heat elimination with enhanced jaundice relief through increased urinary excretion of bilirubin.

When to use: Damp-Heat jaundice with strong Heat signs such as fever, irritability, dark concentrated urine, and constipation.

Ji Xue Cao
Ji Xue Cao 1:1 (each 15-30g)

Ji Gu Cao (Abrus herb) also clears Heat and resolves Dampness from the Liver, and is widely used in Guangdong folk medicine for hepatitis. Paired with Tian Ji Huang, the two reinforce each other's hepatoprotective and jaundice-relieving effects, providing a stronger combined action than either alone.

When to use: Chronic hepatitis or lingering hepatitis with persistent Damp-Heat, mild jaundice, flank discomfort, and poor appetite.

Comparable Ingredients

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

Yin Chen
Tian Ji Huang vs Yin Chen

Both clear Damp-Heat and relieve jaundice, and both are considered primary herbs for hepatitis. However, Yin Chen Hao (Artemisia capillaris) is the more established and classical jaundice herb with a longer recorded history in the formal Materia Medica. It has stronger choleretic (bile-promoting) action and is the key ingredient in classical formulas like Yin Chen Hao Tang. Tian Ji Huang, by contrast, is more of a folk medicine herb with additional toxin-resolving and Blood stasis-dispersing actions, making it more suitable when hepatitis is accompanied by toxic Heat or local swelling and pain.

Ji Xue Cao
Tian Ji Huang vs Ji Xue Cao

Both are southern Chinese folk herbs for Liver Damp-Heat and hepatitis. Ji Gu Cao (Abrus cantoniensis) focuses more on soothing the Liver and relieving flank pain, with a milder overall temperament. Tian Ji Huang has broader toxin-resolving and external wound-healing applications, including use for snakebites and abscesses, giving it more versatility beyond liver conditions.

Chui pen cao
Tian Ji Huang vs Chui pen cao

Chui Pen Cao (Sedum sarmentosum, stringy stonecrop) also clears Damp-Heat and is used for hepatitis with jaundice. However, Chui Pen Cao is colder in nature and more powerfully cooling, making it better suited for cases with strong Heat signs but less appropriate for patients with underlying Spleen Qi weakness. Tian Ji Huang is slightly less cold and has the additional benefit of dispersing Blood stasis.

Common Substitutes & Adulterants

Related species and common adulterations to be aware of when sourcing Tian Ji Huang

Tian Ji Huang (田基黄, Hypericum japonicum) should not be confused with another plant also called Tian Ji Huang (田基黄, Grangea maderaspatana) from the Asteraceae (daisy) family, which is a completely different species with different properties used mainly in southern China and Southeast Asia. These two plants share the same Chinese common name but are botanically unrelated. Careful identification by examining the characteristic four-angled stems, opposite ovate leaves with translucent gland dots, and small yellow Hypericum-type flowers (with multiple stamens bundled in three groups) is essential to distinguish the authentic Hypericum japonicum. Other Hypericum species such as H. sampsonii (Yuanbao Cao, 元宝草) may occasionally be substituted; H. sampsonii is a larger plant with broader leaves and different phytochemistry.

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

Toxicity Classification

Classical Chinese pharmacopoeia toxicity rating for Tian Ji Huang

Non-toxic

Tian Ji Huang is classified as non-toxic (无毒) and has a long history of safe use in folk medicine, including in food-like preparations such as soups and teas. Clinical studies using concentrated decoctions and even injectable forms reported no significant adverse effects. However, as it is cool and bitter in nature, excessive or prolonged use may cause digestive discomfort or loose stools, particularly in individuals with weak Spleen function. These are effects of its medicinal nature rather than true toxicity.

Contraindications

Situations where Tian Ji Huang should not be used or requires extra caution

Avoid

Pregnancy: Tian Ji Huang is traditionally listed as contraindicated during pregnancy (孕妇禁用). Its blood-moving (散瘀) and cooling properties may pose risks to the developing fetus.

Caution

Spleen and Stomach deficiency cold (脾胃虚寒): As a cool-natured, bitter herb, prolonged or excessive use can injure Spleen Yang, causing digestive weakness, loose stools, or poor appetite. Those with constitutional cold in the middle burner should avoid or use with caution.

Caution

Absence of damp-heat or toxic-heat: This herb is specifically for clearing heat and resolving dampness. Using it when there is no heat pattern present can damage the body's Yang Qi and cause cold-related symptoms.

Caution

Prolonged use without supervision: Extended continuous use is not recommended, as its cool and bitter nature may gradually impair digestive function even in individuals without pre-existing deficiency.

Special Populations

Important considerations for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pediatric use

Pregnancy

Contraindicated during pregnancy. Traditional Chinese Materia Medica sources explicitly state that pregnant women should not use Tian Ji Huang (孕妇禁用). Its blood-invigorating and stasis-dispersing (散瘀) actions could potentially stimulate uterine activity and increase the risk of miscarriage. Its cool nature may also be considered unfavourable for supporting pregnancy in TCM theory.

Breastfeeding

No specific safety data on Tian Ji Huang during breastfeeding is available from classical or modern sources. Given its cool nature and heat-clearing properties, cautious use is advisable. It could theoretically affect the nursing infant through breast milk, potentially causing digestive upset in the baby due to its bitter and cooling qualities. Breastfeeding mothers with Spleen deficiency or cold constitution should avoid it. Consult a qualified TCM practitioner before use.

Children

Tian Ji Huang has been used historically in children for conditions such as jaundice-type infectious hepatitis and childhood digestive complaints. Classical folk dosage guidelines for children suggest age-based reductions: under 1 year approximately 9g, 1 to 3 years approximately 15g, 3 to 7 years approximately 24g, 7 to 10 years approximately 30g, and 10 to 13 years approximately 36g of dried herb per day, divided into two servings with sugar added for palatability. However, these historical dosages should be confirmed with a qualified practitioner. As a cooling herb, it should be used with extra caution in very young children whose Spleen function is naturally immature and more vulnerable to cold-natured medicines.

Drug Interactions

If you are taking pharmaceutical medications, be aware of these potential interactions with Tian Ji Huang

No well-documented pharmaceutical drug interactions specific to Tian Ji Huang (Hypericum japonicum) have been established in clinical literature. However, caution is warranted on theoretical grounds:

  • Anticoagulant/antiplatelet medications: The herb has traditional blood-invigorating (活血散瘀) actions. While one in vitro study showed a flavonoid component (quercetin-7-O-rhamnoside) may have procoagulant effects, the overall clinical picture is unclear. Patients on blood-thinning medications such as warfarin or aspirin should use this herb only under professional supervision.
  • CYP450 considerations: Although Tian Ji Huang (H. japonicum) is a different species from St. John's Wort (H. perforatum), they belong to the same genus. St. John's Wort is well known to induce CYP3A4 and affect many drug levels. While H. japonicum has not been shown to share this property, caution is prudent when combining with medications that have narrow therapeutic windows (e.g. cyclosporine, oral contraceptives, anti-retrovirals, digoxin) until more data is available.
  • Hepatitis medications: Since Tian Ji Huang is often used alongside conventional hepatitis treatments, potential additive hepatoprotective effects or interactions with antiviral drugs should be monitored by a healthcare provider.

Dietary Advice

Foods and dietary considerations when taking Tian Ji Huang

While taking Tian Ji Huang, it is advisable to avoid cold, raw, and greasy foods that burden the Spleen and Stomach, as the herb's cool nature can compound digestive strain. Alcohol and spicy, heavily fried foods should also be limited, especially when using the herb for liver-protective purposes. Light, easily digestible foods are preferred. In Guangdong folk tradition, the herb is commonly paired with a small amount of brown sugar (黄糖) when made into a tea, which helps moderate its bitter taste and slightly counterbalances its cooling nature.

Botanical Description

Physical characteristics and morphology of the Tian Ji Huang source plant

Hypericum japonicum Thunb. ex Murray (family Hypericaceae, formerly classified under Guttiferae/Clusiaceae) is a small annual herbaceous plant, typically growing 15 to 40 cm tall. The stems are erect or slightly inclined, slender, smooth, and distinctly four-angled (quadrangular), with obvious nodes. At the base of the nodes, fine rootlets may emerge. The leaves are small, opposite, sessile and somewhat stem-clasping, ovate in shape (4 to 15 mm long), with entire margins and fine translucent glandular dots visible when held to the light. Three to five veins radiate from the leaf base.

The flowers are small and yellow to orange-yellow, arranged in terminal forking cyme inflorescences. Each flower has five lance-shaped sepals, five oblong petals that curve inward, and more than ten stamens fused into three bundles at the base, with a single-chambered ovary bearing three styles. The fruit is an oblong capsule about 4 mm long, enclosed by persistent sepals of equal length. The flowering period is from May to June. The entire plant is used medicinally.

This plant commonly grows in moist places such as rice paddy edges, irrigation ditches, marshes, grasslands, and waste ground, typically at altitudes below 2800 metres.

Sourcing & Harvesting

Where Tian Ji Huang is sourced, when it's harvested or collected, and how to assess quality

Harvesting season

Spring and summer, during the flowering period (approximately May to June), when the whole plant is collected.

Primary growing regions

Tian Ji Huang is widely distributed across southern China, particularly in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang, and Guizhou provinces. It also occurs in Liaoning and Shandong provinces further north. The herb grows naturally in moist habitats such as rice field edges, ditches, and marshes. Guangdong and Guangxi are considered among the primary producing regions, and this is where the herb has the longest folk usage tradition. In the Guangdong region, particularly in areas like Taishan, it remains a widely recognized folk herb used in everyday soups and teas for liver-protective purposes.

Quality indicators

Good quality Tian Ji Huang consists of the whole dried herb (stems, leaves, and flowers), yellowish-green in colour. The stems should be intact with visible four-angled edges, and the herb should be light and brittle, snapping cleanly to reveal a hollow cross-section. Leaves should be small and relatively well-preserved, and the presence of small yellow-orange flowers is a sign of quality (以色黄绿，带花者为佳, meaning yellowish-green colour with flowers is best). The herb should be free of excessive roots, soil, or foreign matter. It has minimal aroma and a slightly bitter taste. Avoid material that is heavily browned, mouldy, or lacking flowers.

Classical Texts

Key passages from the classical Chinese medical texts that describe Tian Ji Huang and its therapeutic uses

《本草纲目》(Compendium of Materia Medica) — Li Shizhen, Ming Dynasty

Original: 治蛇虺伤，捣汁饮，以滓围涂之。
Translation: Treats venomous snake bites: pound and drink the juice, and apply the residue around the wound.

《生草药性备要》(Sheng Cao Yao Xing Bei Yao) — Qing Dynasty

Original: 敷疮，消肿毒。
Translation: Applied to sores, reduces swelling and resolves toxins.

《岭南采药录》(Records of Collecting Herbs in Lingnan)

Original: 去硝黄火毒，敷虾箝疮，理跌打、蛇伤。
Translation: Removes fiery toxic heat, applied to crab-claw sores, treats traumatic injuries and snake bites.

《福建民间草药》(Fujian Folk Herbs)

Original: 活血，破瘀，消肿，解毒。
Translation: Invigorates blood, breaks stasis, reduces swelling, resolves toxins.

广州部队《常用中草药手册》(Common Chinese Herbal Medicine Handbook, Guangzhou Military)

Original: 清热解毒，渗湿利水，消肿止痛。治急慢性肝炎，早期肝硬化，肝区疼痛，阑尾炎，疔肿痈疽，毒蛇咬伤，跌打扭伤。
Translation: Clears heat and resolves toxins, drains dampness and promotes urination, reduces swelling and alleviates pain. Treats acute and chronic hepatitis, early-stage liver cirrhosis, liver-region pain, appendicitis, boils and abscesses, venomous snake bites, and traumatic sprains.

Historical Context

The history and evolution of Tian Ji Huang's use in Chinese medicine over the centuries

Tian Ji Huang (田基黄), literally meaning "yellow herb from the field ridges," takes its name from its common habitat along the edges (基) of rice paddies (田) and its yellow flowers. It is also widely known as Di Er Cao (地耳草, "ground-ear grass"). The herb has accumulated many folk names across different provinces, reflecting its widespread use in rural communities: Jin Suo Shi (金锁匙, "golden key"), Qi Cun Jin (七寸金, "seven-inch gold"), She Cha Kou (蛇查口), and Liu Ji Nu (刘寄奴, used in Sichuan), among dozens of others.

The herb was first documented for medicinal use in the Qing Dynasty work Sheng Cao Yao Xing Bei Yao (《生草药性备要》). Li Shizhen mentioned it in the Ben Cao Gang Mu for treating snake bites. Its reputation grew substantially in the 20th century when clinical reports from southern China demonstrated its effectiveness against infectious hepatitis. Injections derived from its extract were documented in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia for viral hepatitis treatment. In Guangdong's folk tradition, particularly among communities in Taishan and other Cantonese-speaking areas, Tian Ji Huang has been a household remedy for generations, commonly brewed as a cooling tea or added to soups to protect the liver and clear summer heat.

Modern Research

5 published studies investigating the pharmacological effects or clinical outcomes of Tian Ji Huang

1

Comprehensive phytochemistry and pharmacology review of Hypericum japonicum (2014)

Liu LS, Liu MH, He JY. Molecules. 2014;19(8):10733-10754.

A comprehensive review documenting that H. japonicum contains flavonoids, phloroglucinols, and xanthones as major bioactive metabolites, with demonstrated hepatoprotective, anti-tumor, antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant activities in preclinical models. The review also covered quality control methods and pharmacokinetics of key flavonoid compounds.

2

Isojacareubin anti-MRSA activity from H. japonicum (in vitro study, 2012)

Zuo GY, An J, Han J, Zhang YL, Wang GC, Hao XY, Bian ZQ. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2012;13(7):8210-8218.

Through bioassay-guided fractionation, isojacareubin was identified as a potent antibacterial compound from H. japonicum against clinical methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains, with MIC values of 4 to 16 micrograms per mL. Significant synergistic effects were found when combined with ceftazidime, levofloxacin, and ampicillin.

PubMed
3

Antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective potential of quercetin 7-rhamnoside (in vitro and in vivo study, 2018)

Huang ZQ, Chen P, Su WW, Wang YG, Wu H, Peng W, Li PB. Molecules. 2018;23(5):1188.

Quercetin 7-rhamnoside (Q7R), a major flavonoid from H. japonicum, demonstrated significant antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. In a mouse model of carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury, Q7R treatment reduced liver damage markers and MDA levels, providing hepatoprotection likely through its antioxidant mechanism.

4

Network pharmacology study of H. japonicum in cholestatic hepatitis with ANIT rat model validation (2021)

Feng SL, Zhang J, Jin H, Zhu WT, Yuan Z. Medical Science Monitor. 2021;27:e928402.

Using network pharmacology methods, quercetin, kaempferol, and tetramethoxyluteolin were identified as the main active compounds of H. japonicum against cholestatic hepatitis, targeting key genes including PTGS2, BCL2, CYP7A1, and FXR. In the rat validation model, quercetin at various doses promoted recovery from cholestatic hepatitis.

5

Ethyl acetate extract of H. japonicum induces apoptosis in liver cancer cells (preclinical study, 2015)

Chen XQ, Li ZH, Liu XX, Wang Q, Zhang ZP, Zeng QP, Zu XG. Molecular Medicine Reports. 2015;12(4):4851-4858.

The ethyl acetate extract of H. japonicum (EAEHJ) significantly reduced tumor weight in an H22 liver cancer mouse model and induced apoptosis in HepG2 human hepatoma cells via the mitochondria-dependent pathway, involving caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation and mitochondrial membrane potential disruption.

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.