Herb

Da Qing Ye

Isatis leaf | 大青叶

Also known as:

Woad Leaf

Da Qing Ye

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Properties

Heat-clearing herbs · Cold

Traditionally supports*

Immune Support Fever Management Skin Health Throat Health

Parts Used

Leaf (叶 yè)

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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About This Herb

Traditional Chinese Medicine background and properties

Herb Description

Da Qing Ye (Isatis leaf) is a powerful cooling herb used in Chinese medicine to fight infections, reduce high fevers, and calm inflammatory skin conditions like rashes and sore throats. It is most commonly used during acute febrile illnesses such as influenza, mumps, and viral infections. Because it is very cold in nature, it is not suitable for people with weak digestion or cold constitutions.

Herb Category

Heat-clearing herbs Herbs that clear Heat and resolve Toxicity (清热解毒药)

Main Actions

  • Clears Heat and Resolves Toxicity
  • Cools the Blood
  • Cools the Blood and Resolves Macules
  • Benefits the Throat

How These Actions Work

'Clears Heat and resolves toxins' means Da Qing Ye strongly counteracts infectious and inflammatory conditions caused by Heat and toxic pathogens. Its bitter, cold nature makes it especially effective against high fevers from epidemic diseases, viral infections like influenza and encephalitis, and bacterial infections. It targets the Heart and Stomach channels, where toxic Heat commonly accumulates during acute febrile illness.

'Cools the Blood' means the herb enters the Blood level and calms pathological Heat that has penetrated deeply into the bloodstream. When Heat invades the Blood, it can cause the blood to move recklessly, leading to nosebleeds, vomiting blood, or skin rashes (macules). Da Qing Ye's cold, slightly salty nature allows it to reach the Blood level and clear this deep-seated Heat. 'Reduces macules' (消斑) is closely related: when Heat toxins enter the Blood and damage the vessels, dark purplish spots appear on the skin. Da Qing Ye addresses the root cause by clearing the Heat and cooling the Blood so these rashes can resolve.

'Benefits the throat' refers to its ability to drain fire and toxins from the Heart and Stomach channels that flare upward, causing sore throat, swollen tonsils, and mouth ulcers. It is commonly combined with herbs like Xuan Shen (Scrophularia) and Huang Lian (Coptis) for these conditions.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony that reveal what's out of balance in the body. Da Qing Ye is traditionally associated with these specific patterns.

The following describes this herb's classification within Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and is provided for educational purposes only.

Why Da Qing Ye addresses this pattern

When epidemic or warm-disease pathogens penetrate deeply into the Blood level, they cause high fever, delirium, and the eruption of dark purplish macules on the skin. Da Qing Ye is bitter, salty, and cold, which gives it a direct affinity for the Blood level through the Heart and Stomach channels. Its strong Heat-clearing and toxin-resolving actions address the root pathogenic Heat, while its Blood-cooling property calms the reckless movement of Blood that causes bleeding and macules. Classical sources describe it as a key herb for 'warm-toxin macules' (温毒发斑), frequently combined with Water Buffalo Horn (Shui Niu Jiao) and Xuan Shen to clear both Qi-level and Blood-level Heat simultaneously.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Skin Rashes

Dark purplish macules from Heat entering the Blood

High Fever

Persistent high fever unresponsive to sweating methods

Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds or vomiting blood from Heat forcing Blood out of vessels

Delirium

Delirium or restless agitation from Heat disturbing the Heart

TCM Properties

Temperature

Cold

Taste

Bitter (苦 kǔ), Salty (咸 xián)

Channels Entered
Heart Stomach Liver
Parts Used

Leaf (叶 yè)

This is partial information on the herb's TCM properties. More detailed information is available on the herb's dedicated page

Product Details

Manufacturing, supplier, and product specifications

Product Type

Granules

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Botanical & Sourcing

Quality Indicators

Good quality Da Qing Ye leaves should be large, intact (not excessively broken), and dark greyish-green in colour on the upper surface. When flattened, complete leaves are oblong to inversely lance-shaped, 5 to 20 cm long, with the leaf base narrowing into a winged stalk. The texture should be brittle and crisp. The aroma is faint, and the taste should be slightly sour, bitter, and astringent. Leaves that are green and large are considered best quality. Avoid material that is excessively brown, mouldy, or consisting mainly of broken fragments and stalks.

Primary Growing Regions

Widely cultivated across China. Major production regions include Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hebei provinces, which are considered the primary sources for the Chinese Pharmacopoeia-standard herb (from Isatis indigotica). Additional important production areas include Henan, Shandong, Heilongjiang, and Gansu. Historically, different botanical sources of Da Qing Ye came from different regions: the leaves of Ma Lan (Baphicacanthus cusia) were produced mainly in southern provinces such as Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi, while Liao Lan (Polygonum tinctorium) leaves came from Hebei and Tianjin. In the modern Chinese Pharmacopoeia, only the leaf of Isatis indigotica is the official source.

Harvesting Season

Summer and autumn, harvested in 2 to 3 rounds: first around mid-June, second in late July, and third in September to October. In northern China, typically harvested twice (early July and late October).

Supplier Information

Treasure of the East

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Miscellaneous Info

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Usage & Safety

How to use this herb and important safety information

Important Medical Disclaimer

The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. This herb is a dietary supplement and has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition, or are taking other medications. Discontinue use and consult your healthcare provider if you experience any adverse reactions.

Recommended Dosage

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Instructions for safe storage and consumption

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Traditional Dosage Reference

Standard

9-15g (dried herb); 30-60g (fresh herb)

Maximum

Up to 30g of dried herb in severe acute Heat-toxin conditions; up to 60g when using fresh leaves (typically juiced or decocted), under practitioner supervision.

Notes

The standard dose of 9-15g is used for most Heat-clearing purposes in dried decoction form. For more severe conditions such as high fever with skin eruptions (wen du fa ban), epidemic parotitis, or acute throat infections, doses toward the upper end (15g) or slightly above may be used. When fresh leaves are available (particularly in summer and autumn), the fresh herb is preferred for acute conditions at 30-60g, often juiced and taken directly. For prevention during epidemics, Da Qing Ye can be decocted at moderate doses (around 15g) and taken over several days. Because of its bitter cold nature, the dosage and duration should be kept to the minimum effective amount to avoid damaging digestion.

Toxicity Classification

Non-toxic

Da Qing Ye is classified as non-toxic in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and has a long history of safe use at standard doses. No specific toxic components requiring special precautions have been identified at typical medicinal dosages. One isolated case report described a patient who developed hematuria (blood in urine) after receiving an injection of Da Qing Ye (from the Clerodendron cyrtophyllum source), which resolved after discontinuing the preparation. This was associated with an injectable preparation rather than standard oral decoction use. The herb's strongly cold nature means the main safety concern is damage to digestive function from overuse or use in patients without genuine Heat patterns, rather than chemical toxicity.

Contraindications

Avoid

Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold (脾胃虚寒): Da Qing Ye is bitter and very cold in nature. In people whose digestive system is already weak and cold, with symptoms such as loose stools, poor appetite, and abdominal cold pain, this herb can further damage the Spleen Yang and worsen digestive weakness.

Caution

Absence of true Heat or Fire toxin: This herb should not be used when there is no genuine excess Heat pattern. Using cold, bitter herbs in conditions without real Heat (such as deficiency-type low-grade fever or cold-type sore throat) can injure the body's Qi and Yang without therapeutic benefit.

Caution

Aspirin allergy or sensitivity: Da Qing Ye contains chemical compounds with structural similarities to salicylates. People with aspirin allergy may potentially experience allergic reactions including asthma attacks.

Caution

Known sensitivity to Isatis preparations: Rare cases of blood in the urine (hematuria) have been reported following injection of Da Qing Ye extract preparations. Oral decoction use carries lower risk, but any prior adverse reaction to Isatis products warrants caution.

Special Populations

Pregnancy

There is insufficient safety data on the use of Da Qing Ye during pregnancy. Its strongly cold and bitter nature poses a theoretical risk of damaging Spleen and Stomach Yang in the pregnant person, which could indirectly affect fetal nourishment. No specific teratogenic effects have been reported, but the herb is not considered an established safe choice during pregnancy. As a precaution, it should be avoided unless clearly indicated for an acute Heat-toxin condition and prescribed by a qualified practitioner.

Breastfeeding

No specific studies exist on the transfer of Da Qing Ye constituents into breast milk. Its bitter, cold nature could theoretically affect the infant's digestion if active compounds pass into breast milk, potentially causing loose stools in the nursing infant. Short-term use for acute febrile illness under practitioner guidance is likely acceptable, but prolonged use should be avoided during breastfeeding.

Pediatric Use

Da Qing Ye is used in numerous paediatric Chinese patent medicines for childhood febrile illnesses (including children's cold preparations and fever-reducing oral liquids). Dosage should be reduced proportionally according to the child's age and body weight, typically one-third to one-half of the adult dose for school-age children. Because of its strongly cold nature, it should only be used short-term in children and only when a genuine Heat pattern is present. Prolonged use can easily damage the immature Spleen and Stomach, causing poor appetite and loose stools.

Drug Interactions

No well-documented pharmaceutical drug interactions have been established for Da Qing Ye through rigorous clinical studies. However, the following theoretical considerations apply based on its known pharmacological properties:

  • Anticoagulant/antiplatelet medications: Da Qing Ye contains compounds with structural similarity to salicylates. Concurrent use with warfarin, aspirin, or other blood-thinning medications may theoretically increase bleeding risk, though this has not been confirmed in clinical studies.
  • Immunosuppressive medications: Given the demonstrated immunomodulatory effects of Isatis indigotica extracts (including enhancement of immune responses), there is a theoretical concern about interference with immunosuppressive therapy. Patients on such medications should exercise caution.

Dietary Advice

While taking Da Qing Ye, avoid cold, raw, and greasy foods that may further burden the Spleen and Stomach, since the herb itself is already very cold in nature. Favour easily digestible, warm foods (such as rice congee or light soups) to support digestion during treatment. Avoid spicy, fried, or heavily seasoned foods if being used for Heat-toxin conditions, as these can aggravate the underlying Heat.

Cautions & Warnings

Although this formula is typically safe for most individuals, it may cause side effects in some people. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, postpartum women, and those with liver disease should use the formula with caution.

As with any Chinese herbal remedy, it is advisable to seek guidance from a qualified TCM practitioner before beginning treatment.