Forsythia Fruit Profile
Also known as- Forsythiae suspensae, and Lian Qiao.
Introduction
Forsythia fruit is the fruit of those lovely bright yellow bushes that are often the first thing to bloom in spring in any northern climate. Native to China, forsythia grows nearly everywhere in the world. The fruit is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat colds and viral infections that present with a fever. It's most often combined with honeysuckle flowers in honeysuckle forsythia fruit, which is possibly the most widely used cold remedy in mainland China and in Chinese immigrant centers in other countries.
Constituents
Phenylethanoids, forsythiaside and suspensaside, lignans, phillyrin and (+)-
pinoresinol O-p-D-glucoside and phenylethanoids
Parts Used
Fruit
Typical Preparations
Steamed and dried, used in decoctions and infusions, teas, capsules and extracts.
Summary
Forsythia fruit has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, though the first mention of its most common use * in honeysuckle forsythia flower blend * is in a 1789 herbal compendium. There's been little modern research, though the anecdotal evidence for its effectiveness against fever, cough and chest complaints is well-documented in the annals of traditional medicine. One small study from Korea suggests that constituents found in forsythia flower may be helpful in improving the cholesterol profile by increasing the proportion of ïgood' cholesterol in the blood and encouraging the excretion of bad cholesterol.
In modern Chinese herbal medicine, lian qiao (forsythia fruit) is prescribed when a broad spectrum antibiotic effect is desired. In addition, forsythia fruit seems to have an antimicrobial, anti-emetic and anti-parasitic effect.
Precautions
There are no reports of harmful side effects of using forsythia fruit.
