Herb Corner: Japanese Honeysuckle

For this month’s Herb Corner, I have chosen to feature honeysuckle, and more specifically Japanese honeysuckle that is an essential herb used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. 

This climbing vine native to Asia is also called jin ying hua in Chinese or translated as “golden silver flower” due to its delicate double-tongued flower that initially open white and fade to yellow with a sweet, vanilla scent. But its aptly named as a precious metal because it proved to be a lifesaver in epidemics and pandemics. 

The dried flower (Flos Lonicerae Japonicae) has been traditionally prized for its infection-fighting properties and often employed to treat colds and flus, fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and skin infection. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic in China, hospitals in Hubei used jin ying hua as a main antiviral medicine against the coronavirus and the results seemed to have paid off. China quickly recovered after two months of lockdown and its economy is back to over 90 percent of pre-COVID. 

The antiviral research of jin ying hua has taken another step forward in a new study published in Cell Research. Scientists from the Nanjing University in China discovered and identified a plant microRNA called MIR2911. In clinical trials MIR2911 was found to suppress the deadly Influenza a virus H1N1 (swine flu) and H5N1 (bird flu). It appears to have wide spectrum antiviral properties due to its ability to disrupt the viral replication process. Studies have been underway to gauge its effectiveness against the current coronavirus. 

Japanese honeysuckle is an essential ingredient in our arsenal of Metal Element Core Formula (supports the respiratory and immune system), Five Elements of Health Formula (helps balance your elemental health and your daily Chinese herbal "multivitamin"), Immunity (aids in your body's natural immunity), and other Chinese herbal formulas targeting infections. For many grateful patients, jin ying hua may have earned its well-deserved name, as precious as gold and silver.