Ye Bai He
StarCrotalaria sessiliflora L.
Synonyms: Crotalaria brevipes Champ. ex Benth.
☯ TCM Properties
Dispels Heat, promotes urination and removes toxins; Replenishes Yin and tonifies the Kidneys
Traditional Chinese Uses
Under the name Herba Crotalariae, Ye Bai He (also called Nong Ji Li) is the aerial part of Crotalaria sessiliflora, a sweet, bland, cold heat-clearing herb. It clears Heat, resolves toxicity, and promotes urination, and in folk and modern Chinese practice it has been used empirically against tumours, notably skin and cervical carcinoma, as well as for damp-heat sores and dysuria.
Important caution: Crotalaria sessiliflora contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (including monocrotaline), which are hepatotoxic and potentially carcinogenic after hepatic bioactivation. Internal use carries a real risk of hepatic veno-occlusive disease and should be regarded as historical/investigational rather than routine self-medication. This herb should not be confused with the true Bai He (Lilium bulb), an unrelated lung-moistening medicinal.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Ye Bai He (野百合), also called Nong Ji Li, is the dried whole herb of Crotalaria sessiliflora L. (Fabaceae), an erect annual 30-100 cm tall of grassy slopes, roadsides, and sandy fields across China, Korea, Japan, and tropical Asia. The stems and narrowly lanceolate leaves are clothed in long brown appressed hairs. Sessile purplish-blue to violet pea-flowers cluster in dense terminal and leaf-opposed heads, subtended by conspicuous bracts, ripening into inflated oblong pods enclosing loose seeds. Bitter and cool with definite toxicity from pyrrolizidine alkaloids (chiefly monocrotaline), the herb clears heat, promotes urination, and resolves toxicity; it is used for dysentery, sores and abscesses, snakebite, and notably as an anticancer agent. Despite its literal name it is not a lily.
Open grassy hillslopes, roadsides, dry sandy fields, and waste ground at low to middle elevations.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on Ye Bai He.
No notes yet.