Forsythia ~ Forsythia suspensa

Forsythia

Latin name: Forsythia suspensa

Family: Oleaceae

Part used: fruit (mainly), flowers, leaves, root

Habitat:China, cultivated in temperate regions worldwide

Main constituents: tetrahydrofurofuran lignans (pinoresinol, phillygenin, syringaresinol), 6-O-angeloylplenolin, 6-O-senecioyplenolin, caffeic acid, rutin, forsythoside A, forsythin, and forsythigenin

Energetics: bitter, pungent, cool

Main herbal actions: fruit: general kidney and bladder tonic, cooling febrifuge, antidote, antiphlogistic, antitussive, diuretic, emmenagogue, laxative, vermifuge; flowers: inhibit viral and bacterial infections; leaves: febrifuge

Minor herbal actions: stimulates the heart, capillaries, nervous system and gall bladder

Main medicinal uses: fever, chills, sore throat, headache, urinary tract infections, tonsillitis

Minor medicinal uses: nodules, carbuncles, sores; root: cancer, colds, fever and jaundice

Preparations: pwd: 6-10 g qd (synergistic with honeysuckle)

Contraindications:

Toxicity:

Sources: http://tcm.health-info.org/Herbology.Materia.Medica/lianqiao-properties.htm; http://gardenbed.com/source/29/2801_med.asp; http://www.herbmed.org/Herbs/Herb159.htm#Category8Herb159; http://www.herbalshop.com/tcm/ChineseHerb_F136.html