Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Honeysuckle
The Japanese Honeysuckle (Jinyinhua), or Gold-Silver Flower, is a plant with a rich history and powerful healing properties. This remarkable herb has its roots in a heartwarming Chinese legend and has been used for centuries to treat various ailments.
The Legend of the Gold-Silver Flower
In a small village, there lived a young couple with twin girls named Golden Flower and Silver Flower. These sisters were inseparable, and they vowed never to marry or be apart from each other. Tragically, they both succumbed to a contagious disease and were buried together. The following spring, a plant with yellow and white flowers grew on their grave, which people believed to be the reincarnation of the twin sisters. When this herb was used to treat two young girls with a similar illness, it successfully cured them, leading the villagers to name the herb after the deceased sisters - the Gold-Silver Flower.
Scientific and Pharmaceutical Background
- Chinese name: Gold-Silver Flower
- Scientific names: Lonicera japonica Thunb., Lonicera hypoglauca Miq., Lonicera confusa DC., and Lonicera dasystyle Rehd
- Pharmaceutical name: Flos Lonicerae
- Part used: Buds
- Dosage: 12g
Flavor, Energy, and Meridians
- Flavor: Sweet
- Energy: Cold
- Class: Herbs to reduce excessive heat inside the body
- Meridians: Lung, stomach, heart, and spleen
Healing Actions and Indications
The Japanese Honeysuckle (Jinyinhua) has several actions that promote healing:
- Clears up heat
- Counteracts toxic effects
- Cools down the blood
- Disperses wind and heat
It is commonly used to treat carbuncles, dysentery, and sore throats with swelling.
Proven Health Benefits
Research has shown that Jinyinhua has five major health benefits:
- Protects the liver
- Inhibits influenza
- Inhibits mumps
- Reduces blood fat
- Acts as an antibacterial herb
Thanks to its active compounds like lonicerin, saponin, and inositol, Jinyinhua has been found to possess antibacterial and antiviral effects. As a result, it is widely used to treat the common cold, influenza, cystitis, arthritis, eye and throat infections, and contagious hepatitis.
The Japanese Honeysuckle (Jinyinhua) is more than just a beautiful Gold-Silver Flower with a touching backstory. It is a powerful herb with numerous health benefits that can help treat a wide range of conditions. Embracing the healing properties of Jinyinhua could offer a natural and effective way to improve your overall well-being.
