☯ TCM Properties
Clears Heat, cools the Blood and resolves toxicity; Invigorates the Blood, unblocks the channels, heals wounds and stops bleeding; Expels Wind-Dampness and promotes urination; Dissolves accumulations and expels stones
Traditional Chinese Uses
Zhu Yang Yang (Herba Galii) is the aerial part of cleavers, Galium spurium (closely used with G. aparine), a Heat-clearing, toxicity-resolving herb. Sweet, pungent and bitter with a cold nature, it clears Heat, cools the Blood and resolves toxicity while promoting urination to drain Damp-Heat. It is applied to Heat-toxin sores, boils, swollen glands and sore throat, to Damp-Heat of the urinary tract with painful or difficult urination, and to urinary stones and gravel, where its diuretic and stone-softening action is valued.
Its Blood-invigorating and toxin-dispersing aspects extend its use to traumatic wounds and bleeding (applied topically or internally) and to skin conditions such as eczema. As a gentle cooling alterative it moves the Lymph and is taken as a cleansing infusion. Being cold and draining, it is used cautiously in spleen deficiency-cold patterns.
Botanical Description
Zhu Yang Yang (猪殃殃) is a regional Chinese common name most often associated with Galium spurium L. or Galium aparine L. (Rubiaceae, cleavers), but the name has also been recorded for other small clinging herbs in folk usage and is not a standard pharmacopoeial designation. Without an accompanying Latin name on the source record to disambiguate, definitive species assignment cannot be made. The candidate cleaver species are scrambling annuals with square stems, whorls of 6–8 narrow leaves, and tiny white four-petaled flowers, all clothed in minute recurved bristles that catch on fur and clothing. Because the entry is not part of the core materia medica and the identification is uncertain, this record follows the unidentifiable null-pattern.
Active Constituents
Asperuloside
Iridoid glycosideConcentration: Major iridoid
Characteristic Rubiaceae iridoid; anti-inflammatory and mildly laxative, and a marker of the genus Galium.
Monotropein
Iridoid glycosideConcentration: Major iridoid
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic iridoid contributing to the herb's traditional use for swelling and pain.
Asperulosidic acid and 10-deacetylasperulosidic acid
Iridoid glycosidesConcentration: Moderate
Co-occurring iridoids with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
Flavonoids (luteolin, apigenin, quercetin and their glycosides, rutin)
Flavones / flavonolsConcentration: Moderate
Free-radical scavengers contributing to antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of the aerial parts.
Phenolic acids (caffeic and chlorogenic acid)
Hydroxycinnamic acidsConcentration: Moderate
Antioxidant and antimicrobial phenolics that support the traditional wound and heat-clearing applications.
Anthraquinones (e.g. nordamnacanthal)
Anthraquinone derivativesConcentration: Minor; largely confined to the root
Pigmented anthraquinones with reported antimicrobial and insect-antifeedant activity.
Organic acids (citric acid) and coumarins
Organic acids / coumarinsConcentration: Minor
Minor constituents contributing to the herb's mild diuretic and cooling character.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
Preparation Methods
Decoction (internal)
Parts: whole herb (aerial parts)
Fresh or dried aerial parts (traditionally a large dose of 30-60 g fresh herb) decocted in water to clear heat, cool blood and resolve toxicity and promote urination.
Fresh expressed juice
Parts: fresh whole herb
Fresh herb pounded and the juice taken internally, or applied topically, for heat-toxin swellings and sores.
Topical poultice
Parts: fresh whole herb
Mashed fresh herb applied to abscesses, snake bites and traumatic swellings to reduce swelling, stop bleeding and heal wounds.
Historical Texts
Zhonghua Ben Cao (Encyclopedia of Chinese Materia Medica)
Modern (1999)References
- Ghazghazi H, Riahi L, Yangui I, et al.. Bringing back Galium aparine L. from forgotten corners of traditional wound treatment procedures: an antimicrobial, antioxidant, and in-vitro wound healing assay along with HPTLC fingerprinting study . BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies (2024) [DOI]
- Mocan A, Crisan G, Vlase L, et al.. Phytochemical Profiles and In Vitro Immunomodulatory Activity of Ethanolic Extracts from Galium aparine L. . Plants (Basel) (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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