Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle, known scientifically as Lonicera japonica, is the flower bud of the honeysuckle plant in the Caprifoliaceae family, with a sweet and cold nature. It's widely produced in China, with Shandong having the largest yield and Henan producing the highest quality. It has functions such as clearing heat and detoxifying, dispersing wind-heat, cooling the blood to stop dysentery, reducing blood pressure and heat, and relieving throat and diaphragm issues. It treats febrile diseases, heat-toxicity dysentery, abscesses, swellings, scrofula, and hemorrhoids. It has a clear, aromatic smell with a mild, slightly bitter taste. The name "Honeysuckle" comes from the flower's color change from white to yellow as it blooms.

Honeysuckle is a term used for both the medicinal herb and the plant itself. The plant, also called honeysuckle, is a perennial, semi-evergreen, woody vine from the Caprifoliaceae family. The term "honeysuckle" first appeared in the Bencao Gangmu, with its name derived from its white-to-yellow flowering. Medicinal honeysuckle refers to the dried flower buds or just-opened flowers of the honeysuckle plant. It has been praised since ancient times as a remedy for clearing heat and detoxifying. It is sweet and cold, aromatic, and clears heat without harming the stomach, while its aroma helps dispel evil. Honeysuckle disperses wind-heat and clears blood toxins, making it effective for various febrile conditions such as fever, rash, spots, heat-toxic sores, and sore throat.

From historical texts like Lü Chanyan Materia Medica and Pin Hui Essentials: Honeysuckle flowers, blooming in March, have a mild fragrance and red stems. Initially white, they turn yellow after a day or two, hence the name "honeysuckle." It is sweet and cold, with a fragrant aroma that clears exterior wind-heat and detoxifies blood heat, especially effective for treating Yang-type ulcers. Formulas include Yin Qiao San (Treatise on Febrile Diseases), Huachuan Honeysuckle Powder (Essential Techniques for Treatment), and Yin Hua Decoction (Bamboo Forest Gynecology).

Honeysuckle – Flower Description

Name: Honeysuckle Flower
Chinese Pinyin: jin yin hua
English name: Honeysuckle Flower, Japanese Honeysuckle
Latin plant, animal and mineral name: Lonicera japonica Thunb
Efficacy classification: heat-clearing and detoxifying medicine.
Family classification: Caprifoliaceae.
Other names: honeysuckle flower, heron flower, silver flower, double flower, two flowers, golden vine flower, double bud flower, golden flower, two treasure flower.
Nature and flavor: sweet; cold.
Meridians: lung meridian; heart meridian; stomach meridian.
Function: clearing heat and detoxifying, evacuating wind-heat.
Indications: initial stage of febrile disease, exogenous fever; heat-toxic bloody diarrhea; carbuncle, furuncle; throat paralysis and various infectious diseases.
Usage and dosage: for oral administration, decoction, 6-15g; or into pills and powders. For external use: appropriate amount, mash and apply. It is best to use raw products to dispel wind-heat and clear internal heat; stir-frying is suitable for heat-toxic bloody diarrhea; dew is mostly used for summer heat and irritability.
Medicinal material source: flower buds of honeysuckle, South China honeysuckle, kudzu gland honeysuckle, and yellow-brown honeysuckle of the Caprifoliaceae family.
Ecological environment: It is also cultivated in sparse forests on hillsides, bushes, villages, roadsides, etc.
Resource distribution: Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and other places.
Harvesting and storage: Honeysuckle blooms at a concentrated time, so it must be picked in time. Generally, the first flower is picked in mid-to-late May, and the second flower is picked in mid-to-late June. When the upper part of the flower bud is swollen but not yet opened, and it is bluish-white, it is the most suitable time to harvest. Honeysuckle should be dried or baked immediately after picking.
Processing:
1. Honeysuckle: sieve out mud and sand, and pick out impurities.
2. Honeysuckle charcoal: Pick out the honeysuckle, put it in a pot and fry it over high heat until it turns brown, spray it with clean water, take it out and dry it in the sun

Pharmacological Effects of Honeysuckle:

1. Antimicrobial Activity: In vitro studies show that honeysuckle flowers and vines inhibit various pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus hemolyticus, E. coli, Shigella, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhi, and Salmonella paratyphi. Water extracts are more effective than decoctions, and honeysuckle combined with other herbs can complement antibacterial effects. It also shows activity against fungi and viruses and enhances the effect of antibiotics like penicillin.
2. Anti-inflammatory and Antipyretic Effects: Intraperitoneal injections of honeysuckle extract can inhibit paw swelling in rats and reduce egg-white-induced paw swelling. It has been reported to have a notable antipyretic effect, although not consistently in all tests.
3. Immune Enhancement: Diluted honeysuckle decoction still promotes leukocyte phagocytosis, showing significant enhancement of inflammatory cell phagocytic function.
4. Central Nervous System Stimulation: Chlorogenic acid from honeysuckle induces CNS stimulation in animals, though its effect is weaker compared to caffeine.
5. Hypolipidemic Effect: Oral administration of honeysuckle reduces intestinal cholesterol absorption and plasma cholesterol levels in rats, though it shows no effect on atherosclerosis in rabbits.
6. Antitoxin Activity: Honeysuckle injections reduce endotoxin levels in vitro and provide protection against endotoxin-induced toxicity in rabbits and mice.
7. Other Effects: Honeysuckle extracts have shown cytotoxic effects on tumors and mild preventive effects on gastric ulcers. Chlorogenic acid increases gastrointestinal motility and enhances gastric and bile secretion.
8. Processing Effects: The processing of honeysuckle affects its pharmacological properties, with specific temperatures and times improving its effectiveness for treating certain conditions.