Quick Facts
| Latin Name | Herba Artemisiae Scopariae |
|---|
| Chinese Name & Pinyin | 茵陳蒿 · Yin Chen Hao |
|---|
| Medicinal Part | Whole herbs |
|---|
| Efficacy Category | Dampness-draining |
|---|
| Botanical Origin | The dried aerial part of Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit. or Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (Asteraceae). |
|---|
| Nature & Flavour | Bitter, Acrid; Slightly cold |
|---|
| Channels Entered | Spleen, Stomach, Liver, Gallbladder |
|---|
What Is Yin Chen Hao?
Yin Chen Hao (Virgate Wormwood) is a medicinal herb of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Anhui and Henan.
Nature & Flavour: Bitter, Acrid; Slightly cold
Channels Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Liver, Gallbladder
Yin Chen Hao: Materia Medica Profile
Identification & Quality Standard
Herba Artemisiae Scopariae
Botanical Origin
The dried aerial part of Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit. or Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (Asteraceae).
Production Regions
Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Anhui and Henan.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material is tender, grey-green, densely hairy, and strongly aromatic.
Macroscopic Features
Young shoots densely grey-white tomentose; leaves finely pinnatifid, grey-green; aromatic, slightly bitter.
Traditional TCM Properties
Bitter, Acrid; Slightly coldSpleenStomachLiverGallbladder
Traditional Functions
Clears damp-heat and abates jaundice. Apply to damp-heat jaundice, difficult urination, and damp-heat sores.
Classical Formulas Containing Yin Chen Hao
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Yin Chen Hao? Are Yin Chen, Mian Yin Chen and Qing Hao the same?
The official name is Yin Chen (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba), the dried aerial part of Artemisia scoparia or Artemisia capillaris (茵陈蒿). Autumn budding herb is called Yin Chen Hao; spring seedlings are Mian Yin Chen. Both clear damp-heat and disinhibit the gallbladder to abate jaundice; write Yin Chen, Yin Chen Hao or Mian Yin Chen. Qing Hao is sweet wormwood: clears heat, resolves summerheat, eliminates steaming and checks malaria—not Yin Chen Hao. Do not treat “Yin Chen grows into Qing Hao” as the same drug. The Yin Chen Hao in Yin Chen Hao Tang is this herb.
What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Yin Chen Hao?
According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia entry for Yin Chen (including Yin Chen Hao), it is bitter, acrid and slightly cold, enters the Spleen, Stomach, Liver and Gallbladder channels, and acts to clear and drain damp-heat and disinhibit the gallbladder to abate jaundice. It is used for jaundice with scant urine, damp-warmth and summer-damp, and damp sores with itching. Bitter-draining, acrid-dispersing and slightly cold, it is specific for damp-heat yang jaundice; yin jaundice must pair interior-warming herbs. Unsuitable as a single herb in static-Blood yellowing, heat without damp, and long use in Spleen vacuity with Blood depletion.
How do you choose Yin Chen Hao versus Mian Yin Chen? Can it be eaten daily as a wild vegetable?
Abating jaundice more often uses spring Mian Yin Chen; autumn Yin Chen Hao is relatively richer in coumarins and is still the same official drug. Folk use of spring seedlings as a vegetable is not the pharmacopoeial 6–15 g in decoction. Externally it may be decocted for fumigation-wash of damp sores. Those with Spleen-Stomach deficient cold should not eat it long as a spring green.
Learn More About Yin Chen Hao
Explore our in-depth article covering the traditional uses, properties, functions, and TCM context of Yin Chen Hao.
Read the Yin Chen Hao Guide →
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.
