Jīn Qián Cǎo (金钱草), known in English as Christina loosestrife herb (Lysimachia christinae), is a cool, sweet, salty and bland Chinese herb from the Drain damp category. It enters the Liver, Gallbladder, Kidney and Bladder channels. Its main action: promotes urination, expels stones (urinary and biliary).
| Pinyin | Jīn Qián Cǎo (Jin Qian Cao) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 金钱草 |
| English | Christina loosestrife herb |
| Botanical name | Lysimachia christinae |
| Category | Drain damp |
| Nature | Cool |
| Flavour | Sweet, Salty, Bland |
| Channels | Liver, Gallbladder, Kidney, Bladder |
| Dosage | 15–60g |
| Cautions | No urinary stones or Damp-Heat; chronic use may deplete fluids |
Actions
- Promotes urination, expels stones (urinary and biliary)
- Clears Damp-Heat, treats jaundice
- Resolves toxicity, reduces swelling
Indications
- Urinary and biliary stones
- Damp-Heat jaundice
- Hot dysuria
- Carbuncles (topical)
How to remember Jīn Qián Cǎo
Drain damp herbs are mostly cool or cold and sweet, and most enter the Bladder channel.
- You can work these out
- Cool, Sweet: like most Drain damp herbs
- Gallbladder channel: from its action “treats jaundice”
- Bladder channel: from its action “Promotes urination”
- Learn by heart
- Salty: unusual for Drain damp herbs (most are sweet)
- Bland: unusual for Drain damp herbs (most are sweet)
- Liver and Kidney channels: nothing in its group or its actions points to them
Other Drain damp herbs
- Fú Líng
- Yì Yǐ Rén
- Zé Xiè
- Mù Tōng
- Huá Shí
- Chē Qián Zǐ
- Qú Mài
- Bì Xiè
- Yīn Chén Hāo
- Hǎi Jīn Shā
- Zhū Líng
- Dēng Xīn Cǎo
- Tōng Cǎo
- Biǎn Xù
- Shí Wéi
- Dōng Kuí Zǐ
- Dì Fū Zǐ
- Dōng Guā Zǐ
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Jīn Qián Cǎo?
Jīn Qián Cǎo is cool and sweet, salty and bland.
Which channels does Jīn Qián Cǎo enter?
Jīn Qián Cǎo enters the Liver, Gallbladder, Kidney and Bladder channels.
What are the actions of Jīn Qián Cǎo?
Promotes urination, expels stones (urinary and biliary); Clears Damp-Heat, treats jaundice; Resolves toxicity, reduces swelling.
What is Jīn Qián Cǎo used for?
Urinary and biliary stones; Damp-Heat jaundice; hot dysuria; carbuncles (topical).
Practise Jīn Qián Cǎo and the other 290 herbs
Recognise each herb from its picture, recall its nature, flavour, channels and actions, and review it again just before you would forget it.
Try the 5-question herb quizShen Study is a study tool. Doses and cautions are as taught in standard Chinese materia medica texts; they are not prescribing advice.