Forsythia
连翘 · Lián Qiào
Cools fevers and clears swollen glands
Properties
CoolingCooling botanicalBitter
Concerns
What it does
Forsythia eases sore throats, cold-and-flu fevers, and the swollen glands that come with infection. In TCM, it removes toxic heat and disperses tissue swelling, both signs an infection has landed. It's the partner herb to honeysuckle in Yin Qiao San, China's most-used cold formula. Forsythol and oleanolic acid show antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.
How to take it
Decoct 6–15g of dried forsythia capsules in 4 cups water for 25 minutes. Drink 1 cup, 2x daily during acute illness. Often paired with honeysuckle in Yin Qiao San.
Try Yin Qiao San tea at the first sign of a sore throat or fever
Safety
- Generally well tolerated for short-term use
- Cooling and bitter. Skip with cold-pattern conditions or weak digestion
- Skip during pregnancy without practitioner guidance
- Stop after symptoms resolve. Not for long-term daily use
- Talk to your doctor before starting, especially if you take medication
Where it comes from
Forsythia suspensa is the same yellow-flowering shrub planted as an early-spring ornamental across Asia, Europe, and North America. The dried fruit capsules are the medicinal part. Forsythia has been a TCM staple for over 1,500 years and is the partner to honeysuckle in Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder), the most-prescribed wind-heat cold formula in modern Chinese practice. Like honeysuckle, it gained renewed institutional attention during recent respiratory outbreaks.