Herbal Research - Wind Heat Herbs
When patients come down with the early signs of a cold or flu—scratchy throat, mild fever, fatigue, headache—many Chinese medicine practitioners reach for formulas rooted in the treatment of wind-heat invasions. While Yīn Qiáo Sǎn (銀翹散) is perhaps one of the most well-known of these formulas, especially among the public, it is only one of many classical formulations and constituent herbs being explored for their antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immune-modulating effects. At Root and Branch Medicinary, we’re often asked what the research says about these formulas and how their traditional uses align with modern scientific inquiry. This post offers a clinical look at several studies investigating wind-heat herbs and their effectiveness in managing viral illness, particularly in the context of early-stage upper respiratory infection.
While wind-heat is often emphasized in the public perception of colds and flus—thanks in part to formulas like Yīn Qiáo Sǎn being widely promoted as antiviral remedies—many practitioners, especially those of us practicing in the Pacific Northwest, more often see patterns that reflect wind-cold invasions or presentations that have quickly shifted to the shào yáng layer and require harmonizing strategies. Our damp, cold climate in Portland, OR may play a role in this clinical patterning, but it's important to acknowledge that the 'common cold' is not a one-size-fits-all condition from a Chinese medicine perspective.
Still, it remains valuable to understand the pharmacology of wind-heat formulas like Yīn Qiáo Sǎn, especially since they remain the most studied examples in the modern literature. Yīn Qiáo Sǎn is frequently examined in part because of its long-standing use and clear indications. From a classical perspective, the formula is a clear expression of flavor and directional movement. The cool, acrid herbs like Jīn Yín Huà (金銀花, Lonicera japonica) and Lián Qiào (連翹, Forsythia suspensa) vent heat from the exterior, while Bò Hé (薄荷, Mentha haplocalyx) and Dàn Dòu Chi (淡豆豉, fermented Glycine max) help release the surface. Jīn Yín Huà and Lián Qiào are especially crucial in clearing heat and resolving toxicity, anchoring the formula’s anti-viral and anti-inflammatory reputation.
A 2015 review article in Chinese Medicine examined the chemistry and pharmacology of the herb pair Jīn Yín Huà and Lián Qiào, noting broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antiviral activity, as well as anti-inflammatory effects via modulation of cytokine expression[1]. These types of studies, while not always meeting international gold-standard protocols, can offer useful insight into how these herbs might exert their effects beyond traditional frameworks.
Additional research has investigated key constituents found in these herbs. A 2017 study published in Scientific Reports highlighted chlorogenic acid—abundant in Jīn Yín Huà—as a compound with significant inhibitory effects against influenza A virus, including neuraminidase inhibition[2]. These findings help validate the long-standing clinical impression that formulas like Yīn Qiáo Sǎn can be effective when matched correctly to early-stage viral presentations.
There is even a broad spectrum review in the Journal of Traditional and Complimentary Medicine that looks at a whole host of traditional remedies for cold and flu including everything from chicken soup to Chinese herbal formulas that also found effectiveness of the constituent ingredients in Yīn Qiáo Sǎn[3].
At Root and Branch Medicinary, we stock Yīn Qiáo Sǎn in both granule and raw bulk forms. We also regularly work with practitioners to build custom wind-heat or cold formulas based on more individualized diagnosis. The current research reminds us that while classical formulas offer clear and reliable models, there is room to integrate ingredient-level data and pharmacologic insight into our prescribing choices. In many ways, modern research is just beginning to catch up with the complexity and specificity that Chinese herbal medicine has built into its system for centuries.
Whether in the treatment of acute viral illness, or more broadly in immune support, the growing literature on wind-heat formulas and their components provides a helpful parallel lens. That said, we believe—and clinical experience consistently supports—that looking at Chinese herbs through the traditional framework of flavor, temperature, and pattern differentiation remains the most clinically useful approach for practitioners. Much of the research available is preliminary, fragmented, or lacks rigorous design, which makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions. But for those curious about what is out there, we acknowledge that this small but growing body of literature may add another dimension to how we understand these herbs and formulas. It does not replace traditional diagnostics or clinical judgment, but it does offer another way to understand and validate what we see in practice every day.
References:
[1] Guo YP, Lin LG, Wang YT. Chemistry and pharmacology of the herb pair Flos Lonicerae japonicae-Forsythiae fructus. Chin Med. 2015 Jul 2;10:16. doi: 10.1186/s13020-015-0044-y. PMID: 26161134; PMCID: PMC4497423.
[2] Ding Y, Cao Z, Cao L, Ding G, Wang Z, Xiao W. Antiviral activity of chlorogenic acid against influenza A (H1N1/H3N2) virus and its inhibition of neuraminidase. Sci Rep. 2017 Apr 10;7:45723. doi: 10.1038/srep45723. PMID: 28393840; PMCID: PMC5385491.
[3] Hai-long, Zhai & Shimin, Chen & Yalan, Lu. (2015). Some Chinese folk prescriptions for wind-cold type common cold. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 186. 10.1016/j.jtcme.2014.11.035.