Kudzu Flower — Classic Formulas
Ge Hua · Flos Puerariae
Primary Actions
- Releases alcohol toxicity and clears the head - Ge Hua is best known for headache, nausea, thirst, and mental clouding after excessive drinking.
- Harmonizes the Stomach and descends rebellious qi - traditional use includes alcohol-related vomiting, epigastric upset, foul belching, and poor appetite after food or drink excess.
- Lifts clear yang and helps stop diarrhea - some lineages extend its use to diarrhea and loose stool when dampness and Spleen weakness are worsened by dietary excess.
Classic Formulas
- Ge Hua Jie Cheng San - the best known classical strategy for alcohol excess with nausea, vomiting, foul breath, and intoxication-type discomfort.
- Ge Hua with Bai Dou Kou or Sha Ren - common pairing logic when alcohol has damaged the Stomach and left fullness, nausea, or poor appetite.
- Ge Hua with Ge Gen and Sheng Ma - traditional approach when clear yang fails to rise and loose stool or heaviness follow overindulgence.
Classical Text References
- Traditional herbology describes Ge Hua as the flower form of kudzu that specifically relieves drunkenness and harmonizes alcohol-damaged digestion.
- Its actions are usually discussed in relation to food and drink excess rather than as a general heat-clearing or exterior-releasing flower herb.
- Modern teachers often summarize its niche simply as the herb for alcohol-related nausea and head discomfort.