Herb

Qing Dai

Natural indigo | 青黛

Also known as:

Indigo

Qing Dai

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Properties

Herbs that clear Heat and resolve Toxicity (清热解毒药) · Cold

Traditionally supports*

Skin Health Digestive Health Oral and Dental Health Respiratory Health

Parts Used

Processed / Derived product (加工品 jiā gōng pǐn)

*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

Qing Dai (natural indigo) is a deep blue powder extracted from the leaves of several indigo-producing plants. It is a potent Heat-clearing herb used for inflammatory skin conditions, bleeding caused by Blood Heat, coughs with blood-streaked phlegm, and childhood febrile convulsions. In modern clinical research, it has attracted considerable attention for ulcerative colitis and psoriasis treatment.

Herb Category

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

Main Actions

  • Clears Heat and Resolves Toxicity
  • Cools the Blood and Resolves Macules
  • Clears Liver Fire
  • Calms fright and stops convulsions
  • Clears Lung Heat

How These Actions Work

'Clears Heat and resolves toxins' means Qing Dai has a strong ability to neutralize Heat-toxins in the body. In practice this applies to febrile diseases with high fever and skin eruptions (macules and papules), as well as sore throats, mouth ulcers, and toxic sores on the skin. It can be taken internally or applied topically to affected areas.

'Cools Blood and disperses macules' means Qing Dai enters the Blood level and calms reckless movement of Blood caused by Heat. When excessive Heat forces Blood out of the vessels, it produces rashes, purple-red spots on the skin, vomiting of blood, or nosebleeds. Qing Dai's cold, salty nature allows it to penetrate the Blood level and cool it down, which is why it is a key herb for fever-related skin eruptions and bleeding due to Blood Heat.

'Drains Liver Fire' is one of Qing Dai's most distinctive actions. It enters the Liver channel specifically and is used when the Liver harbors excess Fire. Liver Fire can rise upward and attack the Lungs, causing a dry cough with chest pain and blood-streaked phlegm, a condition known as 'Liver Fire invading the Lungs.' Qing Dai addresses this by clearing the Fire at its source in the Liver while also cooling the Lungs.

'Calms fright and stops convulsions' refers to Qing Dai's ability to address childhood seizures and convulsions caused by high fever. In TCM, extreme Heat can stir internal Wind, leading to convulsions and tremors, especially in children. By draining Liver Fire (the Liver governs sinews and tendons), Qing Dai indirectly reduces spasms and convulsions.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony that reveal what's out of balance in the body. Qing Dai 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 Qing Dai addresses this pattern

Qing Dai is cold in temperature and salty in taste, giving it the ability to enter the Blood level and cool it. When Heat invades the Blood, it forces Blood out of the vessels, producing rashes, macules, nosebleeds, and vomiting of blood. Qing Dai directly clears the Heat driving this reckless Blood movement, while its toxin-resolving action addresses the underlying pathogenic Heat. It is often combined with raw Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang), Moutan bark (Mu Dan Pi), or Imperata root (Bai Mao Gen) for Blood Heat bleeding.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Nosebleeds

Nosebleed from Blood Heat

Vomiting Blood

Vomiting blood due to Heat in the Blood

Skin Rashes

Purple-red macules and rashes from febrile illness

Cough Of Blood

Blood-streaked sputum

TCM Properties

Temperature

Cold

Taste

Salty (咸 xián)

Channels Entered
Liver Lungs
Parts Used

Processed / Derived product (加工品 jiā gōng pǐn)

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 Qing Dai is a very fine, deep blue powder that is extremely light and easily dispersed by air. It should stick readily to hands and paper when touched. There should be a faint grassy or herbaceous smell and a bland to slightly acidic taste. The definitive quality test is that when a small amount of good Qing Dai is sprinkled on water, it should float on the surface rather than sink. When ignited with a small flame, it should produce a distinctive purple-red flame or smoke. Inferior quality material is heavy, dense, clumped into hard blocks with visible white specks (indicating excess lime), and sinks in water as granules. Due to the low natural yield of Qing Dai, adulteration with weight-increasing powders is common. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia requires a minimum of 2.0% indigo and 0.13% indirubin content.

Primary Growing Regions

The highest quality Qing Dai is traditionally produced in Fujian province (福建), known as Jian Qing Dai (建青黛), which is its recognized dao di (道地) terroir. The primary source plant in Fujian is Ma Lan (Baphicacanthus cusia). Other significant producing regions include Yunnan, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Hebei provinces. Different regions tend to use different source plants: Ma Lan predominates in the south (Fujian, Yunnan, Guangdong), while Song Lan (Isatis indigotica) and Liao Lan (Polygonum tinctorium) are more common in northern and eastern regions.

Harvesting Season

Summer and autumn, when the leaves are most lush and contain the highest pigment levels.

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

1.5–3g

Maximum

Up to 6g daily under practitioner supervision for short courses in acute conditions. Do not use at high doses for extended periods due to risk of liver dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Notes

Qing Dai is insoluble in water and should not be decocted as a standard decoction, as the active compounds will not dissolve. The standard method is to take it as a powder (散剂) stirred into warm water, or incorporated into pills (丸剂). For oral use, 1.5–3g is the standard range. Lower doses (1–1.5g) are appropriate for mild conditions or pediatric use. For external application (mouth sores, skin conditions, abscesses), the amount used is adjusted as needed and is not limited by the internal dosage range. When prescribed alongside a decoction of other herbs, Qing Dai should be stirred into the strained liquid just before drinking, not boiled with the other herbs.

Processing Methods

Processing method

Water-levigation (水飞 shuǐ fēi): the raw Qing Dai powder is placed in a mortar, mixed with water, and ground finely. Fresh water is added and stirred gently so the fine particles suspend while heavier impurities sink. The suspended fine powder is poured off, allowed to settle, then dried and re-ground.

How it changes properties

The thermal nature and taste remain unchanged. Water-levigation removes residual lime (calcium hydroxide) and other heavy impurities introduced during the original extraction process. This produces a purer, finer powder that is safer for internal use, as excess lime can irritate the digestive tract and has opposite thermal properties to Qing Dai.

When to use this form

Preferred whenever Qing Dai is taken internally, especially in pills or powders. The purified form reduces gastrointestinal irritation and ensures consistent dosing of the active pigment.

Toxicity Classification

Non-toxic

Qing Dai is classified as non-toxic in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and has a long history of safe use at standard doses (1.5–3g). However, modern research, primarily from Japanese clinical studies on ulcerative colitis patients, has identified several potential adverse effects with prolonged oral use: mild and usually reversible liver dysfunction (elevated transaminases), gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, abdominal pain), headache, and rarely, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The PAH risk appears linked to indigo and indirubin acting as aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligands, which may promote pulmonary vascular remodeling with long-term exposure. Reported PAH cases have generally been reversible upon discontinuation. The processing of Qing Dai involves lime (calcium oxide), and improperly purified products may contain excess lime residue, which can irritate the gastrointestinal tract. Using the water-levigated form (飞青黛, Fei Qing Dai) helps remove lime and other impurities. Quality and purity of the commercial product are major safety concerns, as adulteration with non-medicinal powders is common.

Contraindications

Caution

Spleen and Stomach deficiency Cold (脾胃虚寒). As a cold and salty herb, Qing Dai can further damage the Spleen and Stomach Yang in people with pre-existing cold deficiency patterns, potentially causing nausea, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. The Ben Cao Cong Xin (《本草从新》) specifically warns: 'Those with internal cold should not use it' (中寒者勿使).

Caution

Bleeding due to Yin deficiency with internal Heat rather than excess Heat. The Ben Cao Jing Shu (《本草经疏》) warns that in cases of bleeding arising from Yin deficiency with deficiency fire, rather than true excess Heat in the Blood, Qing Dai's cold nature may cause Blood to congeal, worsening the condition with chest and diaphragm pain.

Caution

Long-term oral use at higher doses. Modern clinical reports from Japan have documented cases of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), liver dysfunction, and colitis associated with prolonged oral Qing Dai consumption (particularly over several months). Short courses at standard doses are considered safer.

Caution

Pre-existing liver disease. Mild liver dysfunction (elevated transaminases) has been reported in clinical studies of oral Qing Dai, though most cases resolved without discontinuation. Patients with compromised liver function should use with extra caution.

Avoid

Pre-existing pulmonary hypertension or significant cardiovascular disease. Given the documented association between prolonged Qing Dai use and pulmonary arterial hypertension, patients with existing pulmonary vascular disease should not take this herb orally.

Special Populations

Pregnancy

Use with caution during pregnancy. Qing Dai is cold in nature and enters the Blood level, which could theoretically disrupt fetal development or promote uterine cooling. Classical formulas such as Qing Dai Shi Gao Tang (from Chong Ding Tong Su Shang Han Lun) were specifically designed for treating Heat rashes during pregnancy, suggesting historical practitioners considered it acceptable in acute Heat conditions even during pregnancy when carefully prescribed. However, modern safety data in pregnant populations is lacking, and the potential for liver dysfunction and other adverse effects with oral use warrants extra caution. The herb should only be used during pregnancy under close supervision by an experienced practitioner and only when a clear Heat-toxin pattern is present.

Breastfeeding

Safety during breastfeeding has not been specifically studied. As a cold-natured herb, Qing Dai could theoretically affect the quality of breast milk by introducing a cold influence, which in TCM terms could contribute to digestive disturbance in the nursing infant. The active compounds indigo and indirubin are small molecules that may pass into breast milk, though this has not been confirmed. Topical use is generally considered lower risk than oral use. Oral use should be avoided or minimized during breastfeeding unless specifically indicated by a qualified practitioner.

Pediatric Use

Qing Dai has a long history of pediatric use, particularly for childhood convulsions (惊痫) and Heat-toxin conditions. Classical texts recommend adjusting the dose according to the child's age and size. For young children, typical doses are 0.3–1g. The herb is usually given as a powder mixed into water or formula, or incorporated into pills. Because the fine powder can cause choking if inhaled, special care should be taken with the delivery method in small children. Topical application (for conditions like mumps, eczema, or chickenpox) is generally safe in children at standard external doses.

Drug Interactions

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications: Qing Dai has Blood-cooling and Blood-moving properties. While no direct pharmacological interaction studies exist, theoretical caution is warranted when combining with warfarin, heparin, or antiplatelet drugs, as the herb's hemostatic or blood-affecting actions may complicate dosing.

Hepatotoxic drugs: Clinical studies have documented mild, usually reversible liver dysfunction (elevated ALT/AST) in patients taking oral Qing Dai. Concurrent use with other hepatotoxic medications (acetaminophen at high doses, statins, methotrexate, certain antifungals) may increase the risk of liver injury.

Pulmonary vasoconstrictors and drugs affecting pulmonary circulation: Given the association between prolonged Qing Dai use and pulmonary arterial hypertension via aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation, caution is advised in patients taking medications that affect pulmonary vascular tone.

Immunosuppressants: Qing Dai's active components (indirubin, tryptanthrin) have immunomodulatory effects. Concurrent use with immunosuppressive drugs (used in autoimmune conditions) may have additive or unpredictable effects on immune function.

Dietary Advice

While taking Qing Dai internally, avoid cold, raw, and greasy foods that could further burden the Spleen and Stomach, as the herb's cold nature already poses a risk to digestive function. Avoid spicy, pungent, or heating foods if taking Qing Dai for Heat-toxin or Blood-Heat conditions, as these could counteract the herb's cooling therapeutic effect. Light, easily digestible foods are recommended during treatment. Alcohol should be avoided as it may compound the risk of liver irritation associated with oral Qing Dai use.

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.