Yin Chen (Hao)
StarArtemisia scoparia Waldst. & Kit.
☯ TCM Properties
Clears Damp-Heat from the Liver and Gallbladder and relieves jaundice; Clears Heat and facilitates the resolution of Dampness; Clears and releases Dampness in the the Exterior
Traditional Chinese Uses
Yin Chen Hao, the young aerial parts of Artemisia scoparia (one of two species, with A. capillaris, accepted as official Yinchenhao), is the foremost herb for jaundice in Chinese medicine. Bitter and cold, entering the Liver, Gallbladder, Spleen, Stomach and Bladder, it clears Damp-Heat from the Liver and Gallbladder and drives it out through the urine, resolving both yang-type (bright, feverish) and, when combined with warming herbs, yin-type (dull, cold) jaundice.
Classically it heads Yin Chen Hao Tang with Zhi Zi (gardenia) and Da Huang (rhubarb) for damp-heat jaundice with scanty dark urine, fullness and constipation. It also eases damp-heat skin conditions such as sores and itching. Modern use centres on hepatitis, cholecystitis and gallstones; it is generally added toward the end of the decoction.
Western Herbalism Properties
Used In Formulas (2)
Botanical Description
Yin Chen Hao (茵陳蒿) is the dried young aerial herb of Artemisia capillaris Thunb., or in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia also Artemisia scoparia Waldst. & Kit. (Asteraceae), perennial composites widespread across riverbanks, sandy soils, and waste places throughout China, Korea, Japan, and East Asia. The plants form low tufts of finely dissected, silvery-pubescent basal leaves in spring (the principal medicinal stage, harvested before flowering) and later bear branching panicles of small yellowish-green capitula. The dried herb has a slightly aromatic odor and bitter taste. In TCM, Yin Chen Hao is classified as bitter, pungent, and slightly cool, entering the Spleen, Stomach, Liver, and Gallbladder channels, and is the premier herb for clearing damp-heat and resolving jaundice; it is used for both yang and yin patterns of jaundice, hepatitis, gallbladder inflammation, and damp-heat skin eruptions.
Active Constituents
Scoparone (6,7-dimethoxycoumarin)
CoumarinConcentration: Major active coumarin of Artemisia scoparia
The principal hepatoprotective and choleretic constituent. It promotes bilirubin clearance (inducing UGT1A1), is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and vasodilatory, and underlies Yin Chen's classical use for jaundice.
Capillarisin
ChromoneConcentration: Characteristic constituent of the herb
Choleretic and hepatoprotective; inhibits beta-glucuronidase, reducing deconjugation of bilirubin/xenobiotics and enhancing hepatic detoxification.
Scopoletin
CoumarinConcentration: Minor coumarin
Anti-inflammatory, choleretic and antioxidant; contributes to the liver-protective activity of the crude herb.
Chlorogenic acid and caffeoylquinic acids
Phenolic acidsConcentration: Present (more abundant in the related A. capillaris)
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phenolics that support hepatoprotection and radical scavenging.
Capillene / capillin and volatile oil
Polyacetylene / essential-oil componentsConcentration: In the aromatic volatile fraction
Antimicrobial and antifungal volatile constituents characteristic of the young Artemisia shoot.
Flavonoids (cirsimaritin, arcapillin, rutin, quercetin)
FlavonoidsConcentration: Multiple flavonoids identified
Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and choleretic; contribute to bile flow and liver protection.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Drugs cleared by UGT1A1 glucuronidation (e.g. irinotecan/SN-38, raltegravir)
Scoparone induces UGT1A1, the enzyme that glucuronidates bilirubin and several drugs; enhanced glucuronidation could theoretically lower plasma levels of UGT1A1 substrates. Demonstrated in bilirubin models but not confirmed as a clinical drug interaction.
Clinical note: Use cautiously alongside narrow-therapeutic-index UGT1A1 substrates; monitor therapeutic effect.
Antihypertensive / vasodilator drugs
Scoparone has vasodilatory and mild hypotensive activity in animal studies; theoretically additive with antihypertensive agents. No human interaction documented.
Clinical note: Monitor blood pressure if combined with antihypertensive therapy.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 9-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
Preparation Methods
Decoction (Tang)
Parts: Young dried aerial herb / seedling
Dried herb 6-15 g decocted in water; the aromatic herb is added and not over-boiled. Core herb of Yinchenhao Tang (with Zhi Zi and Da Huang) for Damp-Heat jaundice. Clears Damp-Heat from the Liver and Gallbladder and relieves jaundice.
Large-dose decoction for jaundice
Parts: Dried aerial herb
For marked yang jaundice, higher doses (up to ~30 g) are used short-term under supervision, often combined with heat-clearing and purgative herbs to drain Damp-Heat via urine and stool.
Clinical Studies
Recent progress in the study of Artemisiae Scopariae Herba (Yin Chen), a promising medicinal herb for liver diseases
Comprehensive review of more than 70 constituents of Yin Chen and their hepatoprotective, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-fibrotic and antiviral actions, identifying scoparone, capillarisin and chlorogenic acid as key bioactives supporting its use in cholestatic and other liver diseases.
Historical Texts
Shennong Bencao Jing (Divine Husbandman's Classic of Materia Medica)
Han dynasty, c. 200 CEShanghan Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage), Zhang Zhongjing
Eastern Han dynasty, c. 200 CEReferences
- Cai Y, Zheng Q, Sun R, Wu J, Li X, Liu R. Recent progress in the study of Artemisiae Scopariae Herba (Yin Chen), a promising medicinal herb for liver diseases . Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (2020) [DOI]
- He Y, et al.. A Network Pharmacology Approach to Explore the Mechanisms of Artemisiae scopariae Herba for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B . Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2021) [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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