Description
Osmanthus
Gui Hua · (桂花)
Botanical Name : Osmanthus Fragrans
Warm in nature. Pungent in taste. It enters the Lung, Spleen and Kidney meridians.
Osmanthus is a traditional herb and food widely used in East Asia. Its traditional actions of warming the lungs, transforming fluids, and dispersing cold are complemented by modern evidence of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and metabolic-regulating effects. It is generally regarded as safe in normal dietary and therapeutic doses, but those with yin deficiency with internal heat or pollen allergies should exercise caution. For medicinal use, it is best to follow the guidance of a qualified practitioner.
Osmanthus (Guihua) is the dried flower of Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour., a plant of the Oleaceae family. It is widely distributed across China and has long been used in East Asia as both a food and a traditional medicine. In Chinese materia medica, it is classified as a warm-natured herb that enters the lung, spleen, and kidney meridians.
The most common TCM pattern behind dry throat and occasional fatigue is mild Spleen Qi deficiency with Lung dryness, and Licorice Root may help through its dual action of tonifying Qi and moistening the Lung. Its neutral, sweet nature also makes it the classic harmonizer that balances other herbs in complex formulas.
Health Benefits
In traditional Chinese medicine theory, osmanthus is pungent in flavor and warm in nature. Its core actions are warming the lungs and transforming fluids, and dispersing cold to relieve pain.
It is mainly used for the following:
· Respiratory conditions : such as cough and wheezing with profuse phlegm (phlegm-fluid retention).
· Painful conditions : including cold pain in the epigastrium and abdomen, dysentery with blood in the stool, amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea, and hernial abdominal pain.
Modern research has identified over 180 compounds in Osmanthus fragrans, including ionones, flavonoids, polyphenols, iridoids, and phenylethanoid glycosides. Key pharmacological activities include:
· Antioxidant: Acteoside (verbascoside) is the major contributor to antioxidant activity, with salidroside considered the main antioxidant compound active in vivo.
· Anti-inflammatory: Extracts suppress inflammatory pathways, including the ERK 1/2 MAPK signaling cascade.
· Neuroprotective: Compounds isolated from osmanthus show neuroprotective activity, and ethanolic extracts have demonstrated antidepressant-like effects in animal models by modulating the serotonin system and suppressing neuroinflammation.
· Antitumor: Triterpenoids from the leaves suppress proliferation of colorectal cancer cells by inhibiting NF-κB and COX2.
· Metabolic regulation: Extracts show anti-hyperglycemic effects and ameliorative effects on dyslipidemia and gut microbiota dysbiosis in hyperlipidemic mice.
Usage and Dosage
· Common dosage : The clinical decoction dosage is 3–9 g.
· Usage: It is usually decocted or infused as tea. For external use, it can be decocted for gargling or steamed and applied hot to the affected area.
· Simple tea preparation : Place 2–3 g of dried flowers (about one tea ball) in a heat-proof cup, pour 250 mL of freshly boiled water over them, cover, and steep for 5–7 minutes. Because the plant contains modest amounts of iridoid glycosides and phenolic compounds, it is advisable to limit daily intake to two cups.
· Paired tea : For halitosis or cough with phlegm, combine 3 g of dried osmanthus with 5 g of green tea or oolong tea and steep in boiling water for about 6 minutes.
Precautions
· Contraindicated groups : People with internal heat should use it cautiously, as its pungent and warm nature can aggravate their symptoms. Those with spleen-stomach deficiency cold should also use it with caution.
· Allergy risk : As a pollen-producing plant, osmanthus may trigger immune responses in people with allergic rhinitis, asthma, or known pollen allergies. Individuals allergic to plants in the Oleaceae family (such as lilac, ash, or olive) may be more susceptible to allergic skin reactions upon contact with osmanthus preparations.
