Indigo, Qing Dai 青黛 Pigmentum IndicumQing Dai (TCM) The processing of Indigo(Museum Museorum, Valentini, 1704) Indigofera tinctoriaAusländische Culturpflanzen in bunten Wand-Tafeln, (?) A Block of Indian Indigo(Photo by Palladian) (Wikimedia) Botanical name: Several plants supply Indigo: Baphicacanthus cusia Polygonum tinctorium Isatis indigotica (syn Isatis tinctoria) Indigofera tinctoria, I. anil, I. argentea Parts used: Indigo extracted from any of the above plants Temperature & Taste: Cold, dry. Salty Classification: B. Clears Heat and Toxin Uses: 1. Clears Heat and Poison, Cools the Blood:-Influenza, Epidemic diseases-rashes and spots from hot toxin-Bleeding from excess Heat-swelling, pain and redness of the mouth or throat; Mumps-traditionally used for the poison of Snakes or Rabid Dogs.-‘epidemic disease with headache, chills and fever’. (Kai Bao Ben Cao)-‘quickly assuages swellings and inflammations’. (Galen)-detoxifies the toxin of various drugs (Ben Cao Gang Mu)2. Clears Liver Heat, Settles Wind to Stop Tremors:-red eyes, restlessness, sore throat, Fever with Convulsions3. Clears Lung Heat:-Cough, Bronchitis and Chest pain from Lung heat4. Externally:-topically for red, itchy skin conditions such as Eczema-topically for mouth or throat sores and ulcers-topically for red, painful swellings and sores, Carbuncles, Abscesses Dose: 1–3 grams in pills or powders. Pills can be coated with Indigo; it can be taken…

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