What are the medicinal benefits of gardenia flowers?
Oct 15, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhang Ziyi
Introduction
Gardenia flowers are the blossoms of Gardenia jasminoides or double-petaled gardenia (Gardenia spp.) from the Rubiaceae family. Generally, gardenia flowers possess medicinal properties including clearing heat and reducing fire toxicity, cooling blood to stop bleeding, moistening the intestines to relieve constipation, eliminating heat and dampness, and clearing the lungs to relieve coughing. It should be noted that although gardenia flowers have these beneficial effects, they should be used under the guidance of a healthcare professional to avoid potential harm to the body.
Gardenia flowers are the blossoms of Gardenia jasminoides or double-petaled gardenia, plants belonging to the Rubiaceae family. Gardenia flowers contain triterpenoid components such as gardenic acid A, B, and geniposide. They have a bitter taste and cold nature, entering the lung and liver meridians. Generally speaking, the medicinal effects of gardenia flowers mainly include clearing heat and reducing fire, cooling blood to stop bleeding, moistening the intestines to relieve constipation, eliminating heat and dampness, and clearing the lungs to stop coughing. Specific details are analyzed as follows:
1. Clearing Heat and Reducing Fire
Gardenia flowers can clear heat and reduce internal fire, commonly used for fever due to heat-related illnesses and symptoms such as restlessness and irritability. In the early stages of external contraction due to heat, if symptoms such as chest tightness, fever, and irritability occur, gardenia flowers may be combined with fermented soybean (douchi) to expel pathogenic factors, release heat, and alleviate irritability and depression. For high fever accompanied by agitation, delirium, or confusion, combining gardenia flowers with Coptis (Huanglian) and other fire-purging herbs enhances the effect of clearing heat and reducing fire.
2. Cooling Blood and Stopping Bleeding
Gardenia flowers also possess properties that cool the blood and stop bleeding, making them useful in treating conditions caused by heat toxicity or excessive internal fire, such as hematemesis (vomiting blood), hematuria (blood in urine), epistaxis (nosebleeds), red and painful eyes, and abscesses or sores. They are often used in combination with raw Rehmannia (Shengdi), Moutan bark (Danpi), and Chinese arborvitae leaves (Ceboye) to effectively treat red, swollen, and painful eyes. Additionally, they may be combined with chrysanthemum and Margarita (Shijueming) to treat carbuncles and toxic swellings.
3. Moistening the Intestines and Relieving Constipation
After use, gardenia flowers can enhance gastrointestinal motility. They are effective in treating abdominal distension, decreased appetite, and constipation caused by slowed intestinal movement.
4. Draining Heat and Promoting Diuresis
Gardenia flowers help eliminate heat and dampness, and are suitable for treating jaundice, yellowing of the face and skin, fatigue, and loss of appetite caused by stagnation of damp-heat. They are commonly used together with Phellodendron (Huangbai) and Artemisia capillaris (Yinchenhao).
5. Clearing the Lungs and Relieving Cough
As a bitter and cold herb, gardenia flowers enter the lung meridian. After administration, they are effective for symptoms caused by lung heat, such as chest fullness and tightness, cough with phlegm, and shortness of breath.
It should be noted that although gardenia flowers have the above benefits, it is recommended to take them under the guidance of a physician to avoid potential harm to the body.
