Ju Hua
StarChrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.
Traditionally used for
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Eye health
- Colds & fever
- Blood pressure
Cautions & contraindications
- Bleeding disorders
☯ TCM Properties
Disperses Wind-Heat; Calms the Liver and Subdues Yang; Clears Liver Heat and Brightens the Eyes; Clears Heat and Resolves Toxicity
Traditional Chinese Uses
Ju Hua (chrysanthemum flower) is a cooling, slightly sweet herb with a strong affinity for the eyes and head. It is commonly used to dispel Wind-Heat causing headache and feverish symptoms, and is among the most effective herbs for Liver Heat or rising Liver Yang manifesting as red, sore, swollen, or tired eyes and visual disturbances. It also helps clear Liver Fire contributing to dizziness and hypertension. Light and pleasant in taste, it is frequently taken as a daily tea for eye support and general heat clearing.
Western Herbalism Properties
Pharmacological Effects
- Cardiovascular: Ethanol-precipitated decoction dilated coronary vessels in isolated rabbit heart (flow +62% within 2 min, rate −20%), increased coronary flow ~40% and myocardial O2 consumption 27% in dog heart in situ, reduced ischemic ST depression; effect potentiated by propranolol. Chrysanthemin hypotensive; extract reduced histamine-induced capillary permeability.
- Antimicrobial and antipyretic: Aqueous extract/decoction inhibited various bacteria and dermatophytes in vitro; essential oil antibacterial in vivo against S. aureus and S. flexneri; oral aqueous extract reduced fever in rabbits.
Source: Zhu YP. Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Applications. Harwood Academic, 1998, p. 90.
Used In Formulas (22)
Relationships
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Botanical Description
Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. (Asteraceae) is a hardy herbaceous perennial growing to about 0.6 to 1.5 meters tall, with erect, branching, slightly woody-based stems arising from a creeping rootstock. The leaves are alternate, ovate to lanceolate in outline, 3 to 8 cm long, pinnately lobed with coarsely toothed margins, dull green above and grayish-tomentose beneath, and aromatic when crushed. Flower heads are borne in loose terminal corymbs and are typically 2 to 5 cm in diameter; each head consists of numerous strap-shaped ray florets surrounding a center of small tubular disc florets, the whole subtended by an involucre of overlapping bracts. Wild cultivars used medicinally bear single white or yellow heads, while ornamental cultivars are often fully double. Native to East Asia and cultivated for centuries in China, the unopened or just-opened flower heads are harvested and dried as Ju Hua, used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a beverage tea.
Active Constituents
Chlorogenic acid (5-O-caffeoylquinic acid)
Caffeoylquinic acid (phenolic acid)Concentration: Approx. 0.2-1.2% of dried flower; a Chinese Pharmacopoeia quality marker
The principal phenolic acid of the flower, contributing potent free-radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activity. It inhibits pro-inflammatory mediators and supports the herb's traditional use for wind-heat, headache and reddened eyes.
Luteolin
Flavone (aglycone)Concentration: Approx. 0.05-0.6% (aglycone plus glycosides); a Pharmacopoeia marker
A key flavone strongly associated with the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of the flower. It modulates NF-kB signalling and inhibits inflammatory cytokines, underpinning the 'clears Liver heat, brightens the eyes' actions.
Luteolin-7-O-glucoside (luteoloside)
Flavone glycosideConcentration: Approx. 0.1-0.5% of dried flower
A water-soluble luteolin glycoside abundant in the infusion. It shows antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and mild antiviral effects and is a major contributor to the activity of chrysanthemum tea.
Apigenin-7-O-glucoside
Flavone glycosideConcentration: Approx. 0.05-0.3% of dried flower
Contributes to the antioxidant and vasorelaxant profile of the flower. Apigenin and its glycosides show anti-inflammatory and mild blood-pressure-lowering activity in preclinical models.
Acacetin
Methoxylated flavoneConcentration: Trace to ~0.1% (often as acacetin-7-O-rutinoside)
A lipophilic flavone with reported anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective and antioxidant actions; characteristic of Chrysanthemum species and used in chemotaxonomic identification.
3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid (isochlorogenic acid A)
Dicaffeoylquinic acid (phenolic acid)Concentration: Approx. 0.2-1.0% of dried flower
One of several caffeoylquinic acids that provide strong antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity, acting synergistically with chlorogenic acid and luteolin.
Essential oil (borneol, camphor, chrysanthenone, monoterpenes)
Volatile monoterpenoidsConcentration: Approx. 0.2-0.9% volatile oil of dried flower
The aromatic fraction responsible for the flower's cooling, dispersing character. These volatiles give mild antimicrobial and surface-releasing (exterior-dispersing) effects and are lost on prolonged boiling, which is why the flower is infused rather than long-decocted.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Antihypertensive agents
Flavones such as luteolin and apigenin produce mild vasorelaxant and diuretic effects in preclinical studies, which could be additive with antihypertensive drugs.
Clinical note: Generally clinically insignificant at culinary/tea doses; monitor blood pressure if consumed in large medicinal amounts with antihypertensives.
Antiplatelet / anticoagulant agents (aspirin, warfarin)
Caffeoylquinic acids and flavones show mild antiplatelet and antioxidant activity in vitro; a theoretical additive effect on bleeding risk exists but is unsupported by clinical reports.
Clinical note: No documented clinical bleeding events; caution advised only at high sustained intake with anticoagulants.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 5–10 g | Daily | — | — | 中国药典 2020 【用法与用量】5～10g。 【性味与归经】甘、苦，微寒。归肺、肝经。 — Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020, quoted verbatim; route and cautions preserved. Replaces a cleared category-filler value. |
Preparation Methods
Raw dried flower head, infused as tea or brief decoction
Parts: Dried flower head (capitulum)
Typical dose 5-10 g. Prepared as a hot infusion or added late to a decoction (hou xia) and simmered only briefly to preserve the volatile oils that carry its exterior-releasing action. White-flowered 'Hang Ju' / 'Bai Ju Hua' is favoured to nourish Liver yin and brighten the eyes; yellow 'Huang Ju Hua' is preferred to disperse wind-heat.
Dry-fried (chao) flower
Parts: Dried flower head
Gentle dry-frying moderates the cool, dispersing nature of the flower, making it better tolerated by those with a weak Spleen/Stomach while retaining some heat-clearing capacity.
Dui Yao — Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations this herb appears in, each with an action neither herb has alone.
Liver and kidney yin are nourished while the liver is cleared, together brightening the eyes.
Basis of Qi Ju Di Huang Wan for dim vision.
Named pairing — Lü Jingshan, Shi Jinmo Dui Yao
Both lightly disperse wind-heat and clear the liver; together they treat early wind-heat with cough, headache and red eyes.
Core pair of a classical formula — Sang Ju Yin, Wen Bing Tiao Bian (Wu Jutong)
Evidence Tier
Limited evidence · 1 studyRecorded studies by study design, strongest design at the top. This is a study-design tier only, not a GRADE rating: it does not weigh risk of bias, consistency or precision.
Systematic review / meta-analysis
0
Randomized controlled trial
0
Other clinical trial
0
Observational / case report
0
In vitro / animal
0
Other / unclassified
1
0 verified · 1 unverified
Verified: design read from PubMed for a DOI that resolves to the cited paper Unverified: taken from the study's recorded description
Clinical Studies
Flavonoids and caffeoylquinic acids in Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat flowers: A potentially rich source of bioactive compounds
Quantified the main flavonoids and caffeoylquinic acids across cultivars and linked chlorogenic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, luteolin and luteolin-7-O-glucoside to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of the flower.
⚠ Safety & Contraindications
- Bleeding disorders
Contraindications
It is cautiously used in patients with qi deficiency, stomach cold, eating lessening, and diarrhea.
Source: Xi S, Gong Y. Essentials of Chinese Materia Medica and Medical Formulas. Academic Press/Elsevier, 2017, pp. 26–31.
Side Effects
- A few patients had epigastralgia or diarrhea.
- Prolonged large doses of the extract may affect gastric and intestinal function.
Source: Zhu YP. Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Applications. Harwood Academic, 1998, p. 90.
Historical Texts
Shennong Bencao Jing (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica)
Eastern Han, c. 200 CEBen Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen
Ming dynasty, 1578References
- Chen S, Liu J, Dong G, Zhang X, Liu Y, Sun W, Liu A. Flavonoids and caffeoylquinic acids in Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat flowers: A potentially rich source of bioactive compounds . Food Chemistry (2021) [DOI]
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission. Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, Vol. I - Juhua (Chrysanthemi Flos) . China Medical Science Press (2020) [DOI]
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.
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