Genkwa Flower – 1 lb (454 g)

Genkwa Flower, known in Chinese as 芫花 (Yuánhuā) and scientifically as Flos Genkwa, is a valued herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This TCM herb has been traditionally used to support natural wellness, maintain vitality, and encourage holistic balance. At TCMforyou.com, we provide premium-quality Genkwa Flower carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Genkwa Flower helps promote overall well-being and supports natural energy, immunity, and balance. Integrating this herb into your wellness routine offers a gentle, time-tested approach to enhancing daily health. Whether brewed as tea, added to herbal remedies, or taken as part of a TCM formula, Genkwa Flower provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Genkwa Flower has been used in TCM to harmonize the body and encourage optimal functioning of key systems. At TCMforyou, we prioritize authenticity and quality. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and potency, delivering an herbal product aligned with traditional practices.

Experience the natural support of Genkwa Flower, promoting immune health, vitality, and holistic well-being. Embrace the wisdom of TCM and incorporate this gentle, effective herbal remedy into your daily wellness journey.

[Overview] This herb is also known as Chi Yuan, Du Yuan, Headache Flower, and Nan Yuanhua. It is the flower bud of Daphne genkwa Sieb. et Zucc., a plant of the Thymelaeaceae family. It is produced in Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, and other regions. It is harvested in spring before the flowers open, impurities are removed, then sun-dried or oven-dried.

[Properties] Taste: acrid, bitter; nature: warm. Toxic. Enters the Lung, Spleen, and Kidney meridians.

[Actions] Drains water and dispels edema; resolves phlegm and stops cough; kills parasites and treats tinea.

[Applications]
1. Used for edema of the body and face, abdominal ascites, and chest and hypochondriac pain due to retained fluids. For suspended fluids with cough and sputum, pain radiating to the chest and hypochondrium, epigastric hardness, dry retching, shortness of breath, or chest and back spasmodic pain with inability to rest, this herb is combined with Euphorbia kansui (Da Ji), Euphorbia lathyris (Gan Sui), and Jujube (Da Zao), as in the formula Shi Zao Tang. For damp-heat distention, shortness of breath, and thirst, it is combined with Rhubarb (Da Huang) and Morning Glory Seed (Qian Niu Zi), as in Zhou Che Wan.
2. Used for cough and asthma with phlegm, often combined with Mulberry Bark (Sang Bai Pi) and Lepidium Seed (Ting Li Zi); if cough is chronic with cold phlegm that is difficult to resolve, dried ginger (Gan Jiang) is added. Currently prepared as pills or capsules for prevention and treatment of chronic bronchitis exacerbations, showing good efficacy.
3. Used for sores, tinea, and swelling toxins. For treating alopecia areata sores, the herb is powdered and mixed with pig fat and ointment for external application; combined with realgar (Xiong Huang) for enhanced effect. For early-stage abscesses, powdered and applied topically; for mastitis or purulent sores and abscesses, the herb is boiled with eggs and taken internally—eat the eggs and drink the soup once or twice daily, 1–2 eggs each time.
Additionally, for toothache, apply powdered Flos Genkwa to the painful area.

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decoction 1.5–3 g; powdered form 0.6–0.9 g. External use: appropriate amount, powdered and applied topically or decoction used for washing.

[Cautions] Contraindicated in individuals with weak constitution, severe heart disease, ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, and pregnant women. Antagonistic to licorice. When used, it can be combined with Jujube (Da Zao) to moderate its harsh properties.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents: Flos Genkwa contains diterpene esters such as genkwanin methyl ester A, B, C, D, and E; flavonoids including genkwanin, genkwanoside, and luteolin; volatile oils containing large amounts of fatty acids.
2. Pharmacological effects: extracts increase intestinal peristalsis and tension, producing a mild laxative effect; decoctions increase renal glomerular blood flow and filtration rate, promoting diuresis. Genkwanin methyl esters A and B significantly enhance contraction tension of isolated uteri in estrus and early pregnancy rats; extracts and genkwanin methyl esters exhibit anti-P388 lymphocytic leukemia activity by inhibiting nucleic acid and protein synthesis in P388 cancer cells. Leaf extracts improve cardiovascular function by increasing coronary flow, lowering blood pressure, and enhancing hypoxia tolerance, with minimal effect on heart rate; also possess analgesic and anticonvulsant effects.
3. Clinical reports: 1) Mid-term pregnancy induction: Flos Genkwa alcohol extract (1 ml contains 1 g crude drug) injected intra-amniotically and intrauterinely. Among 360 cases, intra-amniotic injection in 322 cases had a 100% success rate; intrauterine injection in 38 cases had a 94.5% success rate. [Journal of Henan Medical College, 1981, 16(2):393] 2) Anti-early pregnancy: drug membranes made from genkwanin methyl ester placed intrauterinely in women within 12 weeks of normal pregnancy requesting termination. Among 157 cases, 120 succeeded with one dose, 16 with two doses. [Zhongyuan Medical Journal, 1988, 15(5):208] 3) Pediatric pneumonia: equal parts Flos Genkwa, Euphorbia lathyris (Gan Sui), and Euphorbia kansui (Da Ji) boiled with vinegar, dried, ground into fine powder; dosage adjusted by age and condition, minimum 0.5 g, maximum 2 g; additionally, 10 jujubes decocted to about 50 ml for administration. Among 45 cases treated, all cured except one death. [Shandong Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1981, inaugural issue:26]