Yin chen (capillary wormwood)
Artemisia capillaris · 茵陈
Herbs & Roots. Chinese Medicine.
Also called Yin chen hao, Capillary wormwood, Virgate wormwood
Pinyin: Yīn Chén
Jaundice needs medical careA wormwood herb used in Chinese medicine for yellow skin and eyes (jaundice) and for liver and gallbladder trouble.
Did you know? Yin chen is a wormwood, a relative of the plant used to flavor absinthe, but it is a different species.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Liver. Long used for jaundice and liver upset. Lab and animal work shows liver effects, but human proof is limited.Traditional proof
- Skin. Used for damp, itchy skin rashes in tradition. Human trials are lacking.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Chinese medicine uses yin chen to clear damp heat, drain the gallbladder, and ease jaundice. It is the main herb in Yin Chen Hao Tang, along with gardenia and rhubarb.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Cholagogue, Hepatic, Diuretic. Energy: cooling.
- Chinese medicine
- 茵陈 Drain dampness. Nature: cool. Flavour: bitter, pungent. Enters the Spleen, Stomach, Liver and Gallbladder channels.
How people take it
Traditional decoctions use about 9 to 15 grams. Jaundice needs a doctor's diagnosis before any herb is tried.
Decoction, tea and powder.
Where to get it
Grows wild in China, Korea, and Japan. Sold as dried herb, tea, and in patent formulas.
Be careful
Safety data are limited. Avoid in pregnancy. People with liver disease should not use it on their own.
Avoid if: pregnancy; liver disease.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Paired in Yin Chen Hao Tang (Virgate Wormwood Decoction) to clear damp heat.
- Works well together
Paired in Yin Chen Hao Tang to move damp heat out through the bowels.
The honest take
Yin chen is a long-used Chinese liver herb. Human proof is limited, and the liver evidence mostly comes from lab work. Yellow skin or eyes need a doctor's diagnosis, not an herb.