Can bathing with Gardenia (Huang Zhizi) help reduce jaundice in infants?

Jul 09, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Sun Lianqing

Introduction

Gardenia fruit (Huang Zhizi) bath may have a certain auxiliary effect on mild physiological jaundice, but is not effective for pathological jaundice. Mild physiological jaundice is caused by the characteristics of bilirubin metabolism in newborns, featuring mild jaundice with slow progression. Bathing with Gardenia fruit may promote local blood circulation through skin contact and assist in the minor excretion of bilirubin through the skin, thereby providing slight support in reducing jaundice.

Under normal circumstances, bathing with Gardenia (Huang Zhizi) may have a certain auxiliary effect on mild physiological jaundice, but it cannot eliminate pathological jaundice. If any abnormalities occur, prompt medical attention is recommended. Detailed analysis is as follows:

Mild physiological jaundice is caused by the characteristics of bilirubin metabolism in newborns, featuring mild jaundice with slow progression. Bathing with Gardenia may promote local blood circulation through skin contact and assist in the minor elimination of bilirubin through the skin, offering slight help in reducing jaundice; however, it cannot serve as a primary intervention.

Pathological jaundice results from diseases such as biliary atresia or infections, leading to high and persistent bilirubin levels. In such cases, the underlying cause of jaundice is abnormal bilirubin metabolism due to disease, and bathing with Gardenia cannot address the root cause or effectively eliminate bilirubin. It cannot achieve a therapeutic effect and requires treatment targeting the underlying cause.

When jaundice occurs in newborns, the type should first be identified. Mild physiological jaundice can be observed, while pathological jaundice requires timely medical intervention to avoid delaying treatment by relying on folk remedies.

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