Table 2.
Characteristics (flavor, nature, and meridian distributions) of the 10 most potent anti-inflammatory herbs.
| Plant name and authority | Flavorsa,b | Naturesa,b | Meridian distributionsa,b |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daphne genkwa Sieb.et Zucc. | Bitter, pungent | Warm | Lung, spleen, kidney |
| Caesalpinia sappan L. | Sweat, salty | Moderate | Heart, liver, spleen |
| Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl | Bitter | Litter cold | Lung, heart, intestinum tenue |
| Zingiber officinale Rosc. | Pungent | Hot | Spleen, stomach, kidney, heart, lung |
| Inula japonica Thunb. | Bitter, pungent, salty | Little warm | Lung, spleen, stomach, intestinum crassum |
| Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. | Pungent | Warm | Liver, gallbladder, pericardium meridian |
| Curcuma longa L. | Pungent, bitter | Warm | Spleen, liver |
| Typha angustifolia L. | Sweat | Moderate | Liver, pericardium meridian |
| Nigella glandulifera Freyn et Sint. | Sweat, pungent | Warm | Liver, kidney |
| Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. | Bitter, sweet, astringent | Little cold | Lung, liver, stomach |
aBased on Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010).
bBased on Chinese Materia Medica (1998).