Whole herbsHeat-clearingMimosae Pudicae Herba

Han Xiu Cao (Sensitive Plant Herb)

A practical guide to Han Xiu Cao: what it is, how Traditional Chinese Medicine uses it, the classical formulas it appears in, and who should be careful with it.

View Herb Profile →

Last reviewed Oct 29, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin NameMimosae Pudicae Herba
Chinese Name & Pinyin 含羞草 · Han Xiu Cao
Medicinal PartWhole herbs
The itemHan Xiu Cao is the dried whole herb of Mimosa pudica, a folk herb rather than a standard pharmacopoeia staple. He Huan Pi is a different, emotionally soothing bark. It usually goes into decoctions or light home tea.
Nature and channelsNeutral. Sweet, slightly bitter, with an acrid touch. Enters the Heart, Lung, and Stomach. Neutral sweet bitter clears heat, drains dampness, calms the spirit, and settles fright.
Pharmacopoeia lineClears heat and drains dampness, calms the spirit and settles fright, resolves toxin and reduces swelling. Traditionally used for damp-heat heaviness and scanty urine, insomnia and irritability, and children's fright.
Pattern cuesHeavy body. Scanty dark urine. Insomnia with irritability. Children's night crying.
In this articleHan Xiu Cao versus He Huan Pi. Clearing damp-heat while calming versus soothing emotional constraint. Why the dose stays small. Why pregnancy is a caution. Why children's convulsion needs a clinic. Who should skip it.

What Is Han Xiu Cao?

Han Xiu Cao (含羞草; Hán Xiū Cǎo; Latin: Mimosa Pudica; English: sensitive plant) is a folk medicinal herb — the dried whole herb of Mimosa pudica of the Fabaceae family, a small prickly subshrub whose feather leaves fold inward when touched, gathered in summer and autumn when flowering, then washed, cut, and sun-dried; the fresh herb is also used. It is neutral, sweet, and slightly bitter with an acrid touch, enters the Heart, Lung, and Stomach channels, and its core actions are to clear heat and drain dampness, and to calm the spirit and settle fright. It usually goes into decoctions, or is lightly brewed as a home tea. The usual amount is 9–15 g; a home tea uses about 3–5 g. It needs no special decoction step — no pre-decocting, late addition, or wrapped packet.

It is not He Huan Pi. He Huan Pi (Albizia Bark) is also neutral and sweet, but it leans to soothing emotional constraint and gently settling the heart, with little damp-heat-draining action; this plant drains damp-heat while it calms the spirit. Spleen-stomach deficiency-cold, with frequent abdominal pain and loose stool, is a poor match. Use caution in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Children's acute convulsion needs a clinic first. Irritability from an external fever needs pattern diagnosis — treat the external issue first. Do not brew it as daily tea for more than a few days.

It is used most often for three patterns:

  • Damp-heat heaviness — heavy limbs, scanty dark urine, mild jaundice, greasy coating
  • Insomnia with dream-disturbed sleep, irritability, restless heart
  • Children's night crying and fright-startle — seek care

Neutral, sweet, and slightly bitter, it is not a daily “sleep tea” to keep brewing. Used with no damp-heat or restless heart present, its draining side brings discomfort to a cold weak stomach.

When damp-heat harasses the heart, or summer dampness weighs on the body, restless sleep, heavy limbs, and scanty dark urine are common. Han Xiu Cao is neutral, sweet, and slightly bitter. It clears heat and drains dampness, and calms the spirit and settles fright, which is why it appears in Han Xiu Cao An Shen Yin (Sensitive-Plant Spirit-Calming Drink)–type formulas. It drains and settles more than it holds. A deficiency-cold spleen and stomach, with abdominal cold pain and loose stool, get worse if more is added.

Han Xiu Cao is not a catch-all sleep or detox plant. In spleen-stomach deficiency-cold, with no damp-heat, or in pregnancy, taking it alone is a poor match. Fresh or dried, and whether it belongs in a formula, should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Han Xiu Cao

Han Xiu Cao: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Mimosae Pudicae Herba

Botanical Origin

The dried whole herb of Mimosa pudica L. (Fabaceae).

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan.

Quality Requirements

Superior material is leafy, green, and with stems.

Macroscopic Features

Stem thorny, branched, with scattered hooked prickles and bristles; leaves bipinnate, sensitive to touch, leaflets small; inflorescence head-like, pink; pods flat, with prickles; texture brittle; faint odor; slightly bitter taste.

Main Regions and Quality Identification

Traditional materia medica and industry experience value the Han Xiu Cao of the southern and southwestern regions, but actual quality also depends on variety, harvest time, processing, and storage. The main producing areas include several provinces of southern China — with minor differences in plant height and leaf size between regions. In appearance, good-quality Han Xiu Cao is dry and free of impurities, with brown stems that are brittle and snap easily, gray-green leaves, many complete compound leaves, a faint odor, and a slightly astringent taste. The common look-alikes are other plants of the same genus — their leaves close more slowly when touched, a trait that can serve as a first-line distinction.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Sweet, Astringent, Bitter; Slightly cold; Slightly toxicHeartLiverStomachLarge Intestine

1. Records in Classic Materia Medica

  • Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi: notes that Han Xiu Cao is "slightly cold in nature, sweet and astringent in flavor; clears heart fire, settles the spirit; treats children's acute fright and adults' insomnia."
  • Ling Nan Cai Yao Lu: records that it can "clear heat and drain dampness, and treat damp-heat jaundice and difficult urination."
  • Zhong Hua Ben Cao: summarizes its actions as "clearing heat and draining dampness, settling the mind and calming fright, and resolving toxin and reducing swelling" — all around its dampness-and-mind regulating role, without the conclusions of modern medicine.

2. How Views of Its Nature Changed

Physicians differ to a degree: some physicians of the Qing-era De Pei Ben Cao lean to its mind-settling, fright-calming action, often using it for the insomnia of an unsettled mind; the Lingnan materia medica works stress its damp-heat-clearing action, often using it for the common damp-heat patterns of the south. Some also hold that Han Xiu Cao's fitting range should not be drawn too wide — those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold need caution, to avoid blind use just because the nature is gentle. This difference reflects the gradual refining of views on its actions, and also makes clear it is not a panacea.

Han Xiu Cao

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Clears heat and promotes diuresis, resolves phlegm and stops cough, calms spirit and stops pain.

1. First Direction: Clearing Heat and Draining Dampness

  • Traditional action: clear and drain damp-heat — helping the body discharge the excess damp-heat pathogen.
  • Typical signs: body heaviness, sore and heavy limbs, short red urine, and a thick greasy coating; also the mild jaundice and sticky sluggish stool of the humid southern regions.
  • Usual combinations: often paired with the dampness-draining herbs such as Fu Ling and Yi Yi Ren to strengthen the damp-heat-clearing.
  • Who should not self-use: those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold — the herb may worsen the deficiency-cold symptoms, with abdominal pain and diarrhea.

2. Second Direction: Settling the Mind and Calming Fright

  • Traditional action: settle the heart-mind — easing the state of an unsettled spirit.
  • Typical signs: insomnia with many dreams, irritability and restlessness, children's night crying, and mild fright — heart-spirit undernourishment patterns, especially the sleep problems of damp-heat disturbing the heart.
  • Usual combinations: often paired with the mind-settling herbs such as Suan Zao Ren and Bai Zi Ren, together with adjusting the daily routine to strengthen the settling effect.
  • Who should not self-use: irritability from external-contraction fever — the exterior problem should be handled first, to avoid "closing the door and keeping the thief in" (trapping the pathogen inside).

3. Classic Pairing: Han Xiu Cao With Fu Ling

The common pair is Han Xiu Cao with Fu Ling: Han Xiu Cao excels at clearing damp-heat and settling the mind, and Fu Ling excels at strengthening the spleen, draining dampness, and quieting the heart — mutually coordinating, they both clear the damp-heat inside the body and strengthen the spleen to cut off the source of damp-heat, while settling the heart-mind — fitting the patterns of internal damp-heat with an unsettled mind, such as body heaviness, difficult urination, and dream-disturbed insomnia appearing together. This pairing needs the physician's pattern diagnosis, with the doses adjusted to the weight of damp-heat and restlessness — do not pair freely on your own.

Han Xiu Cao

Modern Research

Modern research offers useful context, but Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes on whole-pattern diagnosis rather than isolated compounds.

1. Main Chemical Constituents

The constituents detected so far include flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, and terpenoids — natural substances the plant itself contains. In in vitro experiments, some flavonoid constituents show a certain antioxidant activity; in animal experiments, mice given the extract of Han Xiu Cao show some change in sleep latency and sleep duration — but this result cannot be directly equated with a mind-calming effect in humans; currently, no sufficient human clinical research data proves its specific effect in the human body.

2. Current Research Directions

Modern research mainly focuses on two directions:

  • The isolation and identification of active constituents — clarifying the various compounds the plant contains.
  • Preliminary exploration of possible physiological activity — research shows some constituents display a certain antioxidant action in vitro, and animal experiments observe a mild effect on the central nervous system — but more human studies are still needed to verify the clinical meaning of these results.

3. Limitations of Current Research

  • Lab results are not clinical efficacy — the antioxidant activity seen in vitro does not mean the same effect appears after humans take it; the central-nervous-system effect in animal experiments cannot be directly inferred as a mind-calming action in humans.
  • Extracts and monomers are not the same as traditional slices — the extract doses used in research are far higher than the daily food or medicinal slice doses — the effects differ greatly.
  • Doses and preparation methods vary between studies — some studies use high-concentration monomer constituents, while traditional slices work through many constituents together — the results are hard to compare directly.
  • A single component does not define the whole herb — the constituents of Han Xiu Cao interact with each other; its overall action is not a simple addition of single constituents — single-constituent research cannot represent the actual action of the whole herb.

Han Xiu Cao

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. What They Share

  • Both have the main action of calming the mind — both can be used for the insomnia and irritability of an unsettled mind.
  • Both are used for the heart-spirit undernourishment or mild disturbance patterns — fitting scenes leaning to the mild mind problems of daily life.
  • Both may appear in the small food-therapy formulas for regulating emotion or sleep — suitable as a supportive choice for daily regulation.

2. The Key Differences: Han Xiu Cao vs. He Huan Pi

  • Nature and flavors: Han Xiu Cao is neutral with sweet and slightly bitter flavors — no obvious cold-heat leaning, but with a clearing-and-draining action; He Huan Pi is neutral with a sweet flavor — both are neutral, yet Han Xiu Cao also clears and drains, while He Huan Pi leans more to a gentle nourishing of the heart-spirit.
  • Focus: Han Xiu Cao's core strength is calming the mind while clearing damp-heat — fitting mind problems with damp-heat along; He Huan Pi's core strength is calming the mind and resolving depression — more focused on easing the irritability of unexpressed emotion, with a weaker damp-heat-regulating action.
  • Qi tendency: Han Xiu Cao leans to settling — calming the mind by clearing damp-heat while draining the turbid dampness out of the body; He Huan Pi leans to gentle regulating — calming the mind by soothing emotion, regulating qi by dispersing rather than clearing.
  • Best fit: Han Xiu Cao fits insomnia with body heaviness, short red urine, and a thick greasy coating; He Huan Pi fits insomnia with low mood, chest oppression, and a thin white coating.
  • Not suitable: Han Xiu Cao — a stronger clearing action — those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold and frequent abdominal pain or diarrhea should not use it; He Huan Pi — no obvious clearing action, but the pregnancy caution needs more attention — some traditional texts record a slight blood-moving action, so pregnant women need caution, while the blood-moving action of Han Xiu Cao is not obvious.
  • Use scenes: Han Xiu Cao appears more in the damp-heat-regulating formulas of the southern regions, or in food therapy paired with dampness-draining foods — fitting the damp-heat-based daily regulation; He Huan Pi appears more in emotion-regulating formulas, or in food therapy paired with liver-soothing foods — fitting the emotion-based regulation.

3. One-Sentence Summary

Simply put, Han Xiu Cao leans toward clearing damp-heat while calming the mind, whereas He Huan Pi leans toward calming the mind, resolving depression, and soothing emotion. Both can be used for the insomnia and irritability of an unsettled mind, but they are not interchangeable.

Han Xiu Cao

Classical Formulas Containing Han Xiu Cao

Classic Formula 1: Han Xiu Cao An Shen Yin (Sensitive-Plant Mind-Settling Drink)

Combination logic: Han Xiu Cao An Shen Yin is a classic small formula passed down in the folk medicine of the Lingnan region — with Han Xiu Cao as the main lord, paired with Fu Ling, Suan Zao Ren, and Bai He. Han Xiu Cao takes its mind-settling, fright-calming, and damp-heat-clearing actions; Fu Ling strengthens the spleen and drains dampness, helping to cut off the source of damp-heat; Suan Zao Ren and Bai He strengthen the mind-settling — the four herbs work together to both settle the heart-mind and clear damp-heat, solving the damp-heat-disturbing-the-heart insomnia.

Traditional use: traditionally for the insomnia of internal damp-heat with an unsettled mind — common when the southern summer damp-heat is heavy and sleep suffers.

Modern note: modern clinical use requires the doctor's pattern diagnosis and standard care — do not self-apply just because the formula name relates to calming; if you have no damp-heat presentation, blind use may worsen the stomach discomfort.

Classic Formula 2: Han Xiu Cao Li Shi Tang (Sensitive-Plant Dampness-Draining Decoction)

Combination logic: Han Xiu Cao Li Shi Tang is a classic formula recorded in the Qing-era Ling Nan Cai Yao Lu — with Han Xiu Cao as the lord, paired with Che Qian Cao, Yi Yi Ren, and Bai Mao Gen. Han Xiu Cao clears damp-heat; Che Qian Cao and Bai Mao Gen strengthen the urine-draining and dampness-draining; Yi Yi Ren strengthens the spleen and percolates dampness — together they clear the lower-jiao damp-heat, solving the difficult urination and jaundice caused by damp-heat.

Traditional use: traditionally for the lower-jiao damp-heat patterns of short red urine and mild jaundice — especially the mild damp-heat patterns of the southern regions.

Modern note: modern clinical use requires the doctor's diagnosis — if obvious jaundice or urinary abnormality appears, organic disease must be ruled out first — do not take this formula on your own.

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

A formula is many herbs working together — through the lord-minister-assistant-courier pairing, attending to both the main pattern and the accompanying patterns. In Han Xiu Cao An Shen Yin, for example, Han Xiu Cao handles the mind-settling and dampness-clearing, Fu Ling the spleen-strengthening, Suan Zao Ren the mind-settling — a single herb cannot achieve these multiple synergies at once. A single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effect — the doses and combinations in a formula are holistic: the dose of Han Xiu Cao in a formula is adjusted with the other herbs, and using it alone may under-dose or narrow the action. The common misunderstanding: if a herb works in a formula, taking it alone will also work — in fact, a formula's effect is the synergy of many constituents, and a single herb alone cannot reach the same overall action — so do not build formulas from online articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. Home Tea and Porridge

(1) Han Xiu Cao Fu Ling Cha (Sensitive-Plant and Poria Tea): dried Han Xiu Cao 3 g, Fu Ling 5 g, green tea 1 g. Put the three into a cup, pour in boiling water, cover 10 minutes, and drink. Suited to the heavier summer damp-heat, with mild insomnia and body heaviness. Not for those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold and frequent abdominal pain or diarrhea. Suggested: twice a week; not for long-term continuous drinking.

(2) Han Xiu Cao Yi Yi Ren Zhou (Sensitive-Plant and Coix Porridge): dried Han Xiu Cao 5 g, Yi Yi Ren 30 g, rice 50 g. Wrap the Han Xiu Cao in gauze, cook it together with the rinsed Yi Yi Ren and rice in adequate water; when the porridge is done, remove the pouch and eat. Suited to the damp-heat sticky stool and short red urine with mild insomnia. Not for pregnant women, children, or those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold. Suggested: once every 10 days; do not eat frequently.

2. Decoction and Processing Differences

The difference between the raw and the processed Han Xiu Cao is small — the raw product mainly clears damp-heat and settles the mind, while the processed form (generally the sun-dried whole plant) acts more gently, fitting daily regulation. For home decoction, when used in tea or porridge, no special handling is needed — steep or cook it directly with the other materials; no pre-boiling, late addition, or bag-boiling is needed. Different forms cannot be converted directly — the tea dose is small, while the medicinal slice dose must follow the physician's prescription — do not equate the tea dose with the medicinal dose.

3. Dosage and Course

The common dose range in traditional prescriptions is 9–15 g — a larger dose for clearing damp-heat, a smaller dose for calming the mind. The food-therapy dose is generally 1/3 to 1/2 of the medicinal dose — gentler. Long-term continuous use is not advised — continuous use should not exceed 1 week; special groups should consult a physician or pharmacist before use, to avoid the potential discomfort of long-term use.

Han Xiu Cao

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. Who Should Avoid It

  • Spleen-stomach deficiency-cold, with frequent abdominal pain or diarrhea — the clearing action of Han Xiu Cao may worsen the deficiency-cold symptoms.
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding — use with caution; though no clear taboo is recorded, the pregnancy state is special — avoid unnecessary drug exposure.
  • Children and the elderly — weaker metabolic ability — use under a physician's guidance, not on your own.
  • Liver or kidney impairment — the herb needs liver and kidney metabolism — consult a doctor first to confirm suitability.
  • Allergy to legume (Fabaceae) plants — Han Xiu Cao belongs to the legume family — allergic reactions may be triggered — use with caution.

2. Interactions and Diet Notes

There is no sufficient evidence of a general "food clash" between ordinary foods, but certain herbs can interact with specific drugs — those on medication should consult a doctor or pharmacist first. The clearing-and-draining action of Han Xiu Cao may affect the absorption of certain drugs — for example, when combined with anticoagulant or blood-pressure drugs, monitor the body's response; when combined with sedatives, it may strengthen the calming effect — the dose may need adjustment; with glucose-lowering drugs, no clear interaction is recorded — blood sugar should still be monitored. For those on medication, whether taking Han Xiu Cao or other drugs, consult a professional first — do not combine freely.

3. Adverse Reactions and Overdose Risk

No clear serious adverse reactions are recorded so far, but some people may have mild gastrointestinal discomfort, such as nausea and bloating; if the dose is too large, symptoms such as diarrhea and fatigue may appear. If marked discomfort, allergy signs (such as rash or itching), persistent vomiting, breathing difficulty, altered consciousness, or rapidly worsening symptoms appear, stop at once and seek medical care — do not handle it on your own. In daily use, strictly control the dose — do not casually increase it, to avoid unnecessary risk.

Frequently Asked Questions About Han Xiu Cao

What is Hanxiucao? Is it the same as Hehuanpi or Yejiaoteng?
Hanxiucao is the dried whole plant of Mimosa pudica, Latin name Mimosae Pudicae Herba. It is a common Chinese medicine centered on cooling the blood and detoxifying, clearing heat and draining dampness, and calming the spirit. Hehuanpi resolves depression and calms the spirit. Yejiaoteng nourishes the heart and calms the spirit for insomnia. They cannot be used interchangeably in equal amounts. Prescribe as Hanxiucao. Caution in pregnancy.
What are the composition and effects of Hanxiucao?
Pharmacopoeial name Hanxiucao, Latin Mimosa pudica L. Sweet, astringent and slightly bitter in taste, slightly cold in nature, enters the Heart, Liver, Stomach and Large Intestine meridians. Functions to cool the blood and detoxify, clear heat and drain dampness, and calm the spirit. Used for common cold, pediatric high fever, bronchitis, hepatitis, gastritis, enteritis, conjunctivitis, urinary calculi, edema, cough with blood from overexertion, neurasthenia, insomnia, sores and swellings, herpes zoster, and traumatic injuries. Cools the blood and calms the spirit.
How to choose between raw and processed? Can Hehuanpi replace it?
Whole plant is used raw. Hehuanpi emphasizes calming the spirit rather than strongly detoxifying, and cannot replace it in equal amounts. Commercial products are standardized; do not adjust arbitrarily.
What is the dosage of Hanxiucao? Can it be used daily as a spirit-calming tea?
Decoction, 15-30g. Modern use requires physician-determined dosage. It is not a year-round "Hanxiucao tea." Pregnancy will be further injured by prolonged use. Insomnia requires short-term, physician-determined dosage and cannot replace evaluation.
What are the contraindications of Hanxiucao? Can pregnant women use it?
Not suitable for pregnant women. Should not be taken in excess. Slightly toxic. Stop if dizziness or fatigue occur. Seek immediate medical care for severe high fever.
Can Hanxiucao cool the blood, clear heat, and calm the spirit?
It can assist common cold, pediatric high fever, bronchitis, hepatitis, gastritis, enteritis, conjunctivitis, urinary calculi, edema, cough with blood, neurasthenia, insomnia, sores, herpes zoster, and traumatic injuries. It cools the blood and detoxifies, clears heat and drains dampness, and calms the spirit, but is not a specific remedy for all high fever or all insomnia.
Can Hanxiucao be taken daily as a detoxifying or spirit-calming tea?
Heat toxin can be used short-term in formulas; pregnancy will be further injured. The idea that "Hanxiucao must calm the spirit" cannot replace evaluation. Cooling the blood and calming the spirit requires physician-determined formulation and dosage.
How to choose between Hanxiucao, Hehuanpi, Yejiaoteng, Suanzaoren, and Yuanzhi?
Hanxiucao cools the blood and calms the spirit, suited to heat toxin with insomnia. Hehuanpi resolves depression and calms the spirit. Yejiaoteng nourishes the heart and calms the spirit. Suanzaoren nourishes the heart and calms the spirit for deficiency vexation. Yuanzhi calms the spirit and benefits intelligence. Choose Hanxiucao for calming the spirit; Hehuanpi for resolving depression; Yejiaoteng for nourishing the heart; Suanzaoren for deficiency vexation; Yuanzhi for benefiting intelligence. Pattern differentiation applies, but large doses of Hanxiucao are contraindicated in pregnancy.
How is Hanxiucao commonly modified? What is a representative usage?
Modifications depend on the pattern. Add Yejiaoteng for insomnia; add Jinyinhua for high fever. Specify Hanxiucao; do not substitute Hehuanpi in equal amounts for detoxifying.
How to select and store Hanxiucao?
Choose regular Chinese medicinal materials with intact whole plants. Discard if moldy, damp, or abnormal in odor. Store in a dry place. Purchase "Hanxiucao"; do not substitute Hehuanpi or Yejiaoteng in equal amounts for cooling the blood, clearing heat, and calming the spirit.

Related Products

Nong's Han Xiu Cao Concentrated GranulesNong's Han Xiu Cao (Sensitive Plant) Single Herb 5:1 Concentrated Granules $56.99

Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.

More Chinese Herbs

View all 

View all 

© 2026 HJMEDICAL, Powered by Shopify

  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Bancontact
  • Google Pay
  • Mastercard
  • MB WAY
  • PayPal
  • Shop Pay
  • Union Pay
  • Visa

Login

Forgot your password?

Don't have an account yet?
Create account

Han Xiu Cao (Sensitive Plant Herb): Clears heat, calms the spirit, and disperses accumulation