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Mulberry Leaf & Chrysanthemum

桑菊飲 · sāng jú yǐn

For the first days of a hot-type cold, when a cough is the main problem.

What it's for

This is the one for a cold that shows up as a cough first, with only a mild fever behind it. In TCM, colds get sorted by whether they start hot or cold, and this formula is built for the hot kind, where you feel feverish rather than shivery. It uses light, cooling herbs to clear the illness while it is still near the surface, so practitioners use it within the first day or two.

Signs this formula is a fit

At least 2 of the 3 main signs below should sound like you. Use early, within the first day or two of symptoms.

Main signs

  • A cough showed up before anything else

    dry and hacking, and it's the main thing you notice

  • Slightly feverish, not chilled

    you feel warm rather than shivery

  • A little thirsty, but not parched

    not raging thirst, just enough to keep reaching for water

Extra signs

  • Red or irritated eyes
  • The cough is dry, with little or no phlegm
  • Itchy, tickly throat rather than a sore one
  • Thin white tongue coating
  • Symptoms started in the last day or two

Signs it isn't

  • You have a real fever and a badly sore throat, which points to a stronger formula
  • You're chilled and shivering, and your nose is running clear
  • The cough has been hanging on for weeks

What's in it

Safety

  • Built for the hot-type cold with a cough and mild fever. Not for chills with a clear runny nose.
  • Use early and stop once symptoms clear. This is not a daily formula and not for a cough that lingers.
  • Contains bitter apricot seed, which is mildly toxic raw. Never go past the label dose.
  • AHPA classes bitter apricot seed as Safety Class 3, meaning expert supervision. Don't give this to a child.
  • Don't take while pregnant. Bitter apricot seed and licorice each rule it out.
  • Chrysanthemum can cross-react if you're allergic to ragweed, daisies, or marigolds.
  • Skip while nursing unless a practitioner clears it. Bitter apricot seed is the reason.
  • Generally well tolerated for the few days it's meant to be used.
  • Mulberry leaf may lower blood sugar, which can stack with diabetes medication.

How to take it

What to get

Plum Flower Clear Wind Heat Teapills, 200 ct

Clear Wind Heat Teapills

Plum Flower200 ct

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Dose

Take 8 pills, 3 times a day. Other brands and forms use different doses, so follow the label on what you buy.