Clears Heat and resolves toxicity — febrile illness, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, carbuncles, and toxic swellings
Dispels Wind and relieves pain — headache and rheumatic joint and muscle pain from Wind-Damp or Wind-Heat
Promotes urination and resolves Dampness — dysuria, urinary tract infection, and lower-body edema
Stops bleeding — hematuria, abnormal uterine bleeding, and hemoptysis from Blood Heat
Secondary Actions
External use: fresh herb or strong decoction wash for skin sores, eczema, boils, and venomous insect bites — widely used in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui folk medicine
Antispasmodic — used in southern and central China folk practice for muscle spasm and cramp
Classical References
Jiang Su Zhong Yao Zhi (江苏中药志; Jiangsu Materia Medica): records Bai Ma Gu (Serissa japonica) as a principal Heat-clearing and Wind-Damp-dispelling herb of east China folk medicine; used for wind-cold arthralgia, febrile toxin patterns, and haemorrhagic conditions; the name 'Bai Ma Gu' (white horse bone) refers to the white-barked branches resembling bleached bone
ENGLISH NAME NOTE: Serissa japonica (= Serissa foetida) is commonly known as 'Snow-of-June' or 'Snow Bush' in English for its white flower clusters; the name 'All-Grass of Snow of June' in the source XLSX reflects this common English horticultural name
Modern Research
Active Compounds
Ursolic acid and oleanolic acid (pentacyclic triterpenoids; anti-inflammatory, antitumor, hepatoprotective)
Rutin and quercetin (flavonoids; anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, vascular-protective)
Luteolin and apigenin (flavonoids; anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic)
Chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid (phenolic acids; antioxidant, antimicrobial)
Iridoid glycosides (anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective — characteristic of Rubiaceae)
Tannins (astringent; haemostatic, antimicrobial)
Studied Effects
Anti-inflammatory: ursolic acid and flavonoid fraction from Serissa japonica inhibit COX-2 and NF-κB activation in LPS-stimulated macrophage models, reducing prostaglandin E2 and pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α, IL-6) production — provides mechanistic basis for the fever-clearing, toxin-resolving, and Wind-Damp pain-relieving traditional applications
Antimicrobial: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and tannins from S. japonica exhibit inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Escherichia coli in MIC assays; consistent with the folk use for tonsillitis, carbuncles, and skin infections
Antioxidant: total phenolic and flavonoid content from S. japonica aerial parts demonstrates significant DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity; ursolic acid shows cytoprotective effects against oxidative stress in hepatocyte models
Safety & Interactions
Contraindications
Spleen-Stomach Deficiency Cold — cool-bitter nature will impair digestive Yang; avoid with loose stools and cold abdomen
Cold-pattern Bi syndrome without Heat signs — cooling action contraindicated in pure Cold arthralgia
Cautions
Standard dose: 15–30 g dried herb in decoction; 30–60 g fresh herb; topical: concentrated decoction wash or fresh herb poultice
Limited formal clinical safety data; considered safe at traditional doses based on regional folk use across east and south China
Pregnancy: cool-bitter herbs with anti-haemorrhagic action; traditionally used with caution in pregnancy