Prunella vulgaris, known as xia ku cao in Chinese medicine, is a common wayside herb with distinctive purple-violet flower spikes that bloom mid-summer and has been employed for over two millennia to clear heat, resolve toxicity, and calm liver fire. Its pronounced affinity for the liver channel and eye health makes it especially valued in formulations addressing red, inflamed eyes and headaches stemming from liver yang rising.
aerial parts, flower, leaf
tea, decoction, tincture, powder
6–12g dried aerial parts daily as decoction; 1–3ml tincture 2–3x daily
Very safe. Cooling herb.
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