Indigo Naturalis – 1 lb (454 g)

Indigo Naturalis, known in Chinese as 青黛 (Qīngdài) and scientifically as Indigo Naturalis, 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 Indigo Naturalis carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Indigo Naturalis 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, Indigo Naturalis provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Indigo Naturalis 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 Indigo Naturalis, 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 Indigo Flower, Qingha Fen, Dian Hua, and Blue Indigo. It is a dried powder or lump obtained from processed leaves or stems of plants including Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Bremek. (Acanthaceae), Polygonum tinctorium Ait. (Polygonaceae), or Isatis indigotica Fort. (Brassicaceae). It is mainly produced in Fujian, Hebei, Yunnan, Jiangsu, Anhui, and other regions. The stems and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn, soaked in water for 2–3 days until the leaves rot and stems peel. The stems are then taken out, lime is added (8–10 kg per 100 kg), and stirred until the soaking liquid changes from dark green to purple-red. Foam on the liquid surface is removed, and the material is dried under strong sunlight to obtain the product.

[Properties] Salty in taste, cold in nature. Enters the Liver meridian.

[Actions] Clears heat and detoxifies, cools the blood and stops bleeding, clears Liver fire and drains fire.

[Applications]
1. Used for febrile diseases with rash, vomiting blood, and nosebleed. For febrile diseases with intense heat toxin invading the nutritive and blood levels, causing fever, thirst, irritability, and rash, it is often combined with Rhinoceros Horn, Rehmanniae Radix, and Moutan Cortex. For heat forcing blood to move causing vomiting blood, nosebleed, or coughing blood, it can be combined with Biota Leaf, Scutellaria Root, and Imperata Root.
2. Used externally for throat pain, mumps, erysipelas, herpes, and other heat toxin conditions. For throat swelling and toxicity, mouth and tongue ulcers, and gum inflammation, it can be ground with Calculus Bovis, Borneol, and Cinnabar for throat insufflation. For erysipelas, parotitis, herpes zoster, pemphigus, it can be mixed with Rhubarb powder and egg white for topical application. For eczema, it can be combined with calcined Gypsum, Phellodendron Bark, and Borneol to make an ointment for external use. For ulcerative conjunctivitis, it can be used with Coptis decoction for eye washing.
3. Used for Liver fire invading the Lung causing cough, chest pain, and blood in sputum; it can be combined with Gecko in formulas such as Dai Ge San. If sputum is yellow and sticky and difficult to expectorate, it can be combined with Trichosanthes Peel, Fritillaria, and Haifushi.
4. Used for high fever with convulsions and spasms. For high fever causing Liver wind and convulsions, it is often combined with Uncaria, Calculus Bovis, and Scorpion.
In recent years, this herb has been used to treat various malignant tumors such as chronic granulocytic leukemia, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and primary liver cancer, achieving certain effects. It can be used alone or combined with Realgar, Hedyotis diffusa, and Scutellaria barbata.

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: incorporated into pills or powders, 1.5–3 g; in decoctions, should be wrapped in cloth and decocted, 3–6 g. External use: appropriate amount, sprinkled dry or mixed and applied to affected areas.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents: Indigo Naturalis prepared from Baphicacanthus cusia contains indirubin, indigo, and isoindigo. From Polygonum tinctorium, it contains indirubin, indigo, N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine, β-sitosterol, cerotic alcohol, indican, isatan B, tryptanthrin, and indigo ketone. From Isatis indigotica, it contains indirubin, indigo, tryptanthrin, indigo ketone, and n-nonacosane.
2. Pharmacological effects: Indirubin has antitumor activity, inhibiting rat W256 solid tumors and mouse Lewis lung carcinoma, breast cancer, and sarcoma S180, and prolonging survival in lymphocytic leukemia L7212 mice. Indirubin also inhibits DNA synthesis in chronic and acute leukemia cells and some tumor cells in experimental animals, and enhances phagocytic function of the mononuclear macrophage system. Indigo Naturalis decoction has antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus anthracis, Vibrio cholerae, etc. Tryptanthrin strongly inhibits seven dermatophytic fungi including Microsporum and Trichophyton. Indigo protects mice from carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury.
3. Clinical reports:
1) Psoriasis: 207 cases divided into two groups. Group 1 (104 cases) took indirubin (active component extracted from Indigo Naturalis) 150 mg/day orally in three doses; Group 2 (103 cases) took indirubin 75–150 mg/day orally in three doses plus 4% indirubin ointment externally. Before application, lesions were washed with hot water, ointment applied thicker than usual, and bandaged on dense or map-like lesions. Results: Group 1 had 38 cured, 41 markedly improved, 17 improved, 8 ineffective; total effective rate 92.3%. Group 2 had 57 cured, 27 markedly improved, 13 improved, 6 ineffective; total effective rate 94.17%. [Sichuan Medicine, 1981, 2(6):364]
2) Chronic granulocytic leukemia: Synthetic indirubin orally 100–200 mg/day in three doses, some up to 500 mg/day, treatment duration 3 weeks to 11 months (average 4 months), 86 cases total, total effective rate 82.6%. [Sichuan Medicine, 1981, 2(2):83]
3) Infantile atopic dermatitis: Treatment group (118 cases) used 0.5% hydrocortisone ointment mixed with 10% erythromycin ointment and Indigo Naturalis powder in a 2:2:1 ratio externally; control group (85 cases) used 0.5% hydrocortisone ointment mixed with 10% erythromycin ointment 1:1 externally. Results showed the group with Indigo Naturalis powder had superior efficacy (P<0.05). [Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 2003, 4(2):195–196] 4) Herpes zoster: Control group (25 cases) received intravenous Virazole 0.5 g, vitamin C 3.0 g in 5% glucose once daily, interferon 1 million units intramuscularly once daily, and Puerarin 1.0 g three times daily; antibiotics added for secondary infection. Treatment group (25 cases) received the same plus Indigo Naturalis powder 10–40 g mixed with appropriate lettuce oil applied topically after skin cleaning for 7 days per course. Results: Treatment group had 21 cured (84%), 3 improved (12%), 1 ineffective (4%); control group had 10 cured (40%), 11 improved (44%), 4 ineffective (16%). [Chinese Clinical Doctor, 2002, 30(12):51] 5) Recurrent oral ulcers: 80 patients randomized into groups A and B (40 each), observed over two ulcer episodes, double-blind crossover with Indigo Naturalis film and placebo film. Results: Indigo Naturalis film total effective rate 97.5%, χ2 test P<0.01; interval between episodes 44.6±10.3 days, P<0.01, both significantly better than placebo. [Modern Journal of Stomatology, 1995, 9(4):235]