hong hua

红花·Flos Carthami

Safflower

Dried hong hua florets

About hong hua

Hong Hua (红花) is the flower of safflower, a plant of the daisy family, recorded as Flos Carthami. It is acrid in flavour and warm in temperature, entering the Heart and Liver channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that invigorate the Blood.

Names

Pinyinhong hua
Chinese红花
Latin NameFlos Carthami·Flos Carthmai
English NameSafflower
Japanesekokaa
Koreanhonghwa

Classification

Channels
Heart, Liver
Flavour
Acrid
Temperature
Warm
Part used
Flower
Family
Asteraceae
Species
Carthamus tinctorius
Tags
Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Invigorates and nourishes Blood, dispels stasis, regulates menstruation and relieves pain

  • Blood stasis, especially gynaecological: abdominal pain, absent or painful periods, dizziness or pain after childbirth, retained lochia and abdominal masses
  • Traumatic injury
  • Sores and carbuncles that have not formed pus, and dark purple erythema
  • Measles rash that fails to come out fully
  • Chest Bi from Blood stasis

Opens the channels

  • Joint pain or paralysis from Blood stasis blocking the channels

Combinations

Dosage

AgeRawGranuleTinctureConcentrateFrequency
Any 3-10g; 12-15g = a large dose; 0.9-1.5g when harmonizing Blood; Tincture: 2-4ml3-10 g2-4 ml

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions