Natural Herb Library

Tian Ji Huang (Japanese St. Johnswort — Synonym)

Chinese
田基黄
Pinyin
Tian Ji Huang
Latin
Herba Hyperici Japonici

TCM Properties

Taste
bitter, sweet
Temperature
cool
Channels
Lung, Liver, Kidney, Bladder

Traditional Use

Primary Actions

  • Clears Heat and resolves toxicity
  • Promotes urination and treats Damp-Heat jaundice
  • Disperses Blood stasis and reduces swelling
  • Clears Lung Heat — used for cough, hemoptysis, and lung abscess

Secondary Actions

  • Anti-inflammatory for hepatitis and cholecystitis — key clinical use
  • External application for traumatic injury, furuncles, snakebite, and infected wounds

Classical References

  • SYNONYM NOTE: Tian Ji Huang (田基黄, 'Field Base Yellow') is an alternate folk name — predominantly used in Guangdong, Fujian, and other southern Chinese provinces — for the same plant as Di Er Cao (地耳草, herb #55). Both names refer to Hypericum japonicum Thunb. ex Murray. This entry was imported as a separate record in the source XLSX; the primary monograph for this species is herb #55 (all-grass-of-japanese-st-johnswort). All pharmacological and safety data are shared with that entry.
  • Tian Ji Huang (田基黄) is the name most commonly cited in modern Chinese clinical literature and hospital formularies for infectious hepatitis; Di Er Cao (地耳草) is the name more commonly found in classical materia medica texts

Modern Research

Active Compounds

  • Quercetin
  • Quercitrin (quercetin-3-rhamnoside)
  • Isoquercitrin (quercetin-3-glucoside)
  • Kaempferol
  • Tetramethoxyluteolin (5,7,3′,4′-tetramethoxyflavone; hepatoprotective)
  • Hypericin and pseudohypericin (trace levels; much lower than H. perforatum)
  • Chlorogenic acid
  • Xanthones (trace)

Studied Effects

  • Hepatoprotective in cholestatic hepatitis: network pharmacology identified quercetin as a central multi-target node acting on PTGS2 (COX-2), BCL2, CYP7A1, and FXR pathways; molecular docking confirmed direct binding — provides mechanistic basis for classical Damp-Heat jaundice indication (PMID 33657087)
  • Anti-hepatitis B: Di Er Cao / Tian Ji Huang extract and isolated flavonoids inhibit HBsAg and HBeAg secretion in HepG2.2.15 cells; tetramethoxyluteolin identified as the most active compound
  • Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant: total flavonoids reduce LPS-induced NO, IL-6, and TNF-α in RAW264.7 macrophages

PubMed References

Safety & Interactions

Contraindications

  • Cold-Damp jaundice or diarrhea (no fever, pale jaundice, cold limbs)
  • Spleen-Stomach Deficiency Cold

Cautions

  • Standard dose 15–60g fresh herb; 15–30g dried in decoction
  • This entry (herb #57, Tian Ji Huang) is a synonym of herb #55 (Di Er Cao, all-grass-of-japanese-st-johnswort) — same species, same safety profile
  • Do NOT confuse with Hypericum perforatum (Western St John's Wort) — H. japonicum does not share the CYP3A4 induction or hypericin-mediated drug interactions of the Western species

Conditions