Classic formula · Release the exterior
Yin Qiao San
银翘散 Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder
The first-day formula for a hot cold. A sore throat, a fever with only slight chills, headache, thirst, and a cough, with a red tongue tip. Honeysuckle and forsythia cool and clear while the light herbs vent the heat out through the surface. Take it at the first scratch in the throat, not three days later.
A wind-cold needs warming and sweating out. A wind-heat needs cooling and venting. Yin Qiao San opens a window and fans the heat out before it settles into the chest.
Also sold as: Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian · Yin Chiao · Lonicera and Forsythia Formula
Who Yin Qiao San is for
This formula is chosen for one pattern. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Sore throat at the start of a cold
- Fever with slight or no chills
- Headache, thirst
- Cough that is dry or has yellow phlegm
- Swollen glands in the neck
- The first day or two of flu, measles, or mumps with heat signs, when prescribed
- Hives or a red rash from wind-heat
- Tongue
- Red tip with a thin white or yellow coat.
- Pulse
- Floating and rapid.
What is in Yin Qiao San
Amounts are the classic decoction range in grams. Patent pills use the same herbs in the same proportion, so read the box for these names.
| Herb | Amount | Role | Job in the formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jin Yin Hua Honeysuckle Flower | 15 g | Chief | Honeysuckle clears heat and toxin from the surface. |
| Lian Qiao Weeping Forsythia Capsule | 15 g | Chief | Forsythia clears heat and toxin and settles swollen glands. |
| Jie Geng Platycodon Root | 6 g | Deputy | Platycodon opens the Lung and soothes the throat. |
| Niu Bang Zi Achene of Great Burdock Use caution | 9 g | Deputy | Burdock seed clears the throat and vents heat. |
| Bo He Peppermint Use caution | 6 g | Deputy | Mint vents wind-heat and clears the head. |
| Dan Dou Chi Fermented Soybean Use caution | 5 g | Assistant | Prepared soybean releases the surface gently. |
| Jing Jie Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb | 5 g | Assistant | Schizonepeta, the one warm herb, helps the others vent through the surface. |
| Dan Zhu Ye Lophatherum Herb | 4 g | Assistant | Lophatherum clears heat and irritability. |
| Lu Gen Reed Rhizome | 12 g | Assistant | Reed rhizome clears heat and generates fluids for the thirst. |
| Gan Cao Raw Licorice Root Use caution | 5 g | Envoy | Licorice soothes the throat and harmonizes. |
How Yin Qiao San works
Honeysuckle and forsythia are the cooling core. Mint, schizonepeta, and burdock seed are light and move outward, which carries the heat to the surface and out. Platycodon and licorice aim at the throat. Reed rhizome replaces the fluid the fever burns. It is cooked briefly and drunk often, because the light herbs lose their strength if boiled long.
Actions in classic terms
- Disperses wind-heat and clears heat
- Relieves toxicity and soothes the throat
Common changes to Yin Qiao San
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
Cautions with Yin Qiao San
- Not for a cold with heavy chills, no thirst, and a white wet coat; that is wind-cold and needs warming.
- Works in the first day or two. Once the cold is in the chest with thick phlegm, the formula changes.
- Cook for only a few minutes; long boiling ruins it.
- Pregnancy: use only under a qualified practitioner.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as tablets, teapills, granules, decoction.
- Tablets
- As the label directs, usually every few hours at the start of a cold
- Decoction
- Simmer no more than five minutes; drink a cup every four hours while awake
- Course
- Two to four days.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Yin Qiao San
The box reads Yin Qiao San or Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian with the characters 银翘. Ten ingredients led by Honeysuckle and Forsythia. Some cheap versions add drugs; buy a tested herb-only brand.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Yin Qiao San
- Gui Zhi Tang 桂枝汤 For a wind-cold with chills and sweating. Warms where Yin Qiao San cools.
- Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang 养阴清肺汤 For a dry, burning sore throat with no fever, in a dry person.
Conditions where Yin Qiao San comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, indications, cautions, and the short-cooking instruction.
- Wu Ju-tong, Wen Bing Tiao Bian, 1798 Source text.
Important Note
Formula pages describe classic use so you can read a label, ask a better question, and find the right monographs. They are education, not a prescription. A formula that fits the wrong pattern can make things worse, so match the picture first.