Lonicera japonica. 金 银- Jīn yín  Honeysuckle   Family: Caprifoliaceae       
The name Lonicera stems from Adam Lonicer, a Renaissance botanist. The name 'honeysuckle" comes from the habit of picking flowers and breaking the base off them, then sucking on the base producing the taste of a sweet honey like liquid.
金 银 花  Jīn yín huā- "Gold silver flowers"   Honeysuckle flower- harvested end of Spring, just before the flower opens   
Nature: Cold   FLAVOR: Sweet, pleasant, bitter  CHANNEL: Lung, Stomach, Large Intestine
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Clear Heat- Neutralize Toxins
1. Clear Heat and relieves Fire toxicity.[6]
2. Expel external Wind Heat.[6]
3. Expel Damp Heat from the lower Burner.[6] Diuretic.[5]
4. Removing Heat from the blood.
ACTIONS
INDICATIONS- Used as an emperor herb for skin problems. 
1. Exopathogenic Wind Heat, or epidemic febrile diseases at the early stage,[6] with fever, aversion to wind, sore throat,[6] thirst and headache.[6] P- floating. Colds.[1] Laryngitis.[1] Pneumonia. Viral influenza.[5]
2. Sores, carbuncles, furuncles and swellings.[6] Breast sores and swellings.[6] Skin infections. Infected boils,[1,5] skin sores,[1] lymphadenitis.[1] Abscesses.[5] Carbuncle, erysipelas, cellulitis.
3. Invasion of the Qi system by pathogenic Heat marked by high fever, dire thirst and full pulse, yellow coat on tongue.
4. Ying and Blood levels Heat syndrome with fever, restlessness and insomnia, skin eruption, crimson and dry tongue.
5. Diarrhea and dysentery due to intense Toxic Heat, with purulent and bloody stool. Bacterial dysentery.[1,5] Intestinal abscess.[6] Enteritis.[1] Dysuria.[6]
6. Rheumatism.[1]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
COMBINATIONS
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Diarrhea due to Spleen and Stomach Cold from deficiency. Also sores due to Qi deficiency (those with clear exudate) and Yin ulcers.[6]
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Flower buds and newly opened flowers 10-15 g.[6]  Closed bud 9-30 g.[1,5] Good quality has many big, soft, pale yellow, unopened flowers and is aromatic.
Up to 30-60 g each dose.[3]
         
忍冬疼  Rěn dōng téng- "stem that resists Winter"   Dried caulis (Stem)     
Nature- cold   FLAVOR: Sweet
FUNCTIONS- Similar to flower.[6]
1. Clear Heat, counteract toxic effects.
2. Clears Wind, Dampness and Heat from the Channels.[1,6] Connect channels.
INDICATIONS
1. Abscesses and sores.[1,6] Swelling of carbuncle.
2. Pain associated with Wind-Heat Dampness with hot, swollen, painful joints that are difficult to move.[6] Fever, red swelling and pain in arthritis.
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Dried caulis 10-40 g.
9-30 g.[2]Vines 30-60 g each dose.[1] 15-30 g.[6]
HABITAT: Found growing in moist areas or cultivated.
DESCRIPTION: Perennial woody vine. Stem; reddish-brown, softly pubescent. Leaves; opposite, papery, ovate, apexes short-acute, bases rounded or almost cordate, margins intact. Blooms; in early summer, axillary white flowers later turning golden-yellow, fragrant. Berry; globose, bluish-black. 
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research

Protective effect of bioactive compounds from Lonicera japonica Thunb. against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity using neonatal rat cardiomyocytes
Chen Wang, Gang Wang,* Hong Liu, and Yun-long Hou
Abstract
Objective(s):
Pharmacological studies showed that the extracts of Jin Yin Hua and its active constituents have lipid lowering, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, cytoprotective, antimicrobial, antibiotic, antioxidative, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs) from Jin Yin Hua against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced and hypoxia-induced cytotoxicity using neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.
Materials and Methods:
Seven CQAs (C1 to C7) isolated and identified from Jin Yin Hua were used to examine the effects of H2O2-induced and hypoxia-induced cytotoxicity. We studied C4 and C6 as preventative bioactive compounds of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptotic pathway, and apoptosis-related gene expression.
Results:
C4 and C6 were screened as bioactive compounds to exert a cytoprotective effect against oxidative injury. Pretreatment with C4 and C6, dose-dependently attenuated hypoxia-induced ROS production and reduced the ratio of GSSG/GStotal. Western blot data revealed that the inhibitory effect of C4 on H2O2-induced up and down-regulation of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-3. Apoptosis was evaluated by detection of DNA fragmentation using TUNEL assay, and quantified with Annexin V/PI staining.
Conclusion:
In vitro experiments revealed that both C4 and C6 protect cardiomyocytes from necrosis and apoptosis during H2O2-induced injury, via inhibiting the generation of ROS and activation of caspase-3 apoptotic pathway. These results demonstrated that CQAs might be a class of compounds which possess potent myocardial protective activity against the ischemic heart diseases related to oxidative stress.Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2016 Jan; 19(1): 97–105.
PMCID: PMC4823622
PMID: 27096070 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Wound repair and anti-inflammatory potential of Lonicera japonica in excision wound-induced rats
Wei-Cheng Chen, Shorong-Shii Liou, Thing-Fong Tzeng, Shiow-Ling Lee,corresponding author and I-Min Liucorresponding author
Abstract
Background
Lonicera japonica Thunb. (Caprifoliaceae), a widely used traditional Chinese medicinal plant, is used to treat some infectious diseases and it may have uses as a healthy food and applications in cosmetics and as an ornamental groundcover. The ethanol extract of the flowering aerial parts of L. japonica (LJEE) was investigated for its healing efficiency in a rat excision wound model.
Methods
Excision wounds were inflicted upon three groups of eight rats each. Healing was assessed by the rate of wound contraction in skin wound sites in rats treated with simple ointment base, 10% (w/w) LJEE ointment, or the reference standard drug, 0.2% (w/w) nitrofurazone ointment. The effects of LJEE on the contents of hydroxyproline and hexosamine during healing were estimated. The antimicrobial activity of LJEE against microorganisms was also assessed. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of LJEE was investigated to understand the mechanism of wound healing.
Results
LJEE exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Candida tropicalis. The ointment formulation prepared with 10% (w/w) LJEE exhibited potent wound healing capacity as evidenced by the wound contraction in the excision wound model. The contents of hydroxyproline and hexosamine also correlated with the observed healing pattern. These findings were supported by the histopathological characteristics of healed wound sections, as greater tissue regeneration, more fibroblasts, and angiogenesis were observed in the 10% (w/w) LJEE ointment-treated group. The results also indicated that LJEE possesses potent anti-inflammatory activity, as it enhanced the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines that suppress proinflammatory cytokine production.
Conclusions
The results suggest that the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of LJEE act synergistically to accelerate wound repair.
BMC Complement Altern Med. 2012; 12: 226.
Published online 2012 Nov 23. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-12-226
PMCID: PMC3577469 PMID: 23173654 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Polyphenolic compounds from Korean Lonicera japonica Thunb. induces apoptosis via AKT and caspase cascade activation in A549 cells.
Park KI, Park H, Nagappan A, Hong GE, Yumnam S, Lee HJ, Kim EH, Lee WS, Shin SC, Kim JA, Lee SJ, Ma JY, Min T, Heo JD, Kim GS.
Abstract
Lonicera japonica Thunb. (L. japonica T.) has historically been used in Korean herbal medicine due to its anticancer and protective effects on the respiratory system. In the present study, the polyphenolic compounds in L. japonica T. were investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, and its anticancer effects on A549 non-small-cell lung cancer cells were studied. Polyphenolic compounds potentially inhibit A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry and western blot analysis demonstrated that polyphenolic compounds induce apoptosis by regulating the protein expression levels of caspases, poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase and the B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X-protein/B-cell lymphoma-extra large ratio. Furthermore, polyphenolic compounds inhibited mitochondrial membrane potential activity. Caspase-3 activity was increased in a dose-dependent manner and polyphenolic compounds inhibited the activation of protein kinase B by dephosphorylation. These results suggest that polyphenolic compounds in A549 cells indicate the anticancer activity through the induction of apoptosis.
PMID: 28454429 PMCID: PMC5403260 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.5771 Oncol Lett. 2017 Apr;13(4):2521-2530. doi: 10.3892/ol.2017.5771. Epub 2017 Feb 23. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The ethanol extract of Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) attenuates diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting p-38 MAPK activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
Tzeng TF, Liou SS, Chang CJ, Liu IM.
Abstract
The anti-inflammatory potential of Lonicera japonica makes it an excellent source of novel medicinal targets to reduce inflammation in diabetic nephropathy. We aimed to investigate whether the ethanol extract of the flowering aerial parts of L. japonica exerts an ameliorative effect on diabetic renal inflammation using streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic rats were treated orally with the ethanol extract of the flowering aerial parts of L. japonica (100 and 200 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. The rats exhibited renal dysfunction, as evidenced by reduced creatinine clearance, increased blood urea nitrogen, and proteinuria, along with a marked elevation in the ratio of kidney weight to body weight; all of these abnormalities were significantly reversed by the ethanol extract of the flowering aerial parts of L. japonica. The histological examinations revealed amelioration of diabetes-induced glomerular pathological changes following treatment with the ethanol extract of the flowering aerial parts of L. japonica. It reduced the accumulation of ED-1-expressing macrophages in renal tissue of diabetic rats, almost completely abolished T cell infiltration and attenuated the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. The ethanol extract of the flowering aerial parts of L. japonica downregulated the protein expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in the kidney of diabetic rats. The results suggest that it has the property to inhibit the activity of p-38 MAPK-mediated inflammatory response to halt the progression of diabetic nephropathy.
PMID: 24431014 DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1360196 Planta Med. 2014 Feb;80(2-3):121-9. doi: 10.1055/s-0033-1360196. Epub 2014 Jan 15. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Anti-angiogenic, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of Lonicera japonica extract.
Yoo HJ, Kang HJ, Song YS, Park EH, Lim CJ.
Abstract
This study aimed to elucidate some novel pharmacological activities of Lonicera japonica (Caprifoliaceae), which is widely used in Oriental folk medicine. The ethanolic extract of L. japonica (LJ) dose dependently inhibited chick chorioallantoic membrane angiogenesis. The antinociceptive activity of LJ was assessed using the acetic acid-induced constriction model in mice. LJ showed anti-inflammatory activity in two in-vivo models: the vascular permeability and air pouch models. LJ suppressed the production of nitric oxide via down-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. However, LJ was unable to suppress induction of cyclooxygenase-2 in the stimulated macrophage cells. LJ decreased the reactive oxygen species level in the stimulated macrophage cells. In brief, the flowers of L. japonica possess potent anti-angiogenic and antinociceptive activities, in addition to anti-inflammatory activity, which partly supports its therapeutic efficacy.
PMID: 18498715 DOI: 10.1211/jpp.60.6.0014 J Pharm Pharmacol. 2008 Jun;60(6):779-86. doi: 10.1211/jpp.60.6.0014. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Screening and identification of the antibacterial bioactive compounds from Lonicera japonica Thunb. leaves.
Xiong J, Li S, Wang W, Hong Y, Tang K, Luo Q.
Abstract
Our aim was to screen for antibacterial bioactive compounds from Lonicera japonica leaves. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were used as the indicator bacteria. Bacteriostatic assay-guided extraction and stepwise partitioning of the samples yielded five compounds of interest. Antimicrobial activities of the compounds were determined using a disk diffusion assay. Extracts, fractions, and compounds from L. japonica leaves possessed considerable antibacterial activities against the tested bacterial strains and the most active fraction was attributed to J3B2, which primarily contained 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid and 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid. Meanwhile, five bacteriostatic constituents were isolated (3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, secoxyloganin, luteoloside, 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid and 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid), among which, secoxyloganin was isolated for the first time from leaves. The antibacterial activity of the compounds was in the order of 3,5-bis-O-caffeoyl quinic acid, 4,5-bis-O-caffeoylquinic acid, luteoloside>3-O-caffeoylquinic acid>secoxyloganin. Our results suggested that the phenolic compounds might significantly contribute to antibacterial activity and were the most responsible for the bacteriostatic activity of L. japonica leaves.
PMID: 23265495 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.10.127
Food Chem. 2013 May 1;138(1):327-33. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.10.127. Epub 2012 Nov 12. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prophylactic effects of Lonicera japonica extract on dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis in a mouse model by the inhibition of the Th1/Th17 response.
Park JW, Bae H, Lee G, Hong BG, Yoo HH, Lim SJ, Lee K, Kim J, Ryu B, Lee BJ, Bae J, Lee H, Bu Y.
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronically relapsing inflammatory disorders of the intestine. Although some therapeutic agents, including steroids, are available for the treatment of IBD, these agents have limited use. Therefore, dietary supplements have emerged as possible interventions for IBD. Japanese honeysuckle flower, the flower of Lonicera japonica, is a well-known dietary supplement and has been used to prevent or treat various inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we investigated the effects of L. japonica on experimental murine colitis. Colitis was induced by 5 % dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) in Balb/c mice. The water extract of L. japonica (LJE) at doses of 20, 100 or 500 mg/kg was orally administered to mice twice per day for 7 d. Body weight, colon length and a histological damage score were assessed to determine the effects on colitis. Cytokine profiles were assessed to examine the effects on helper T (Th) cell-related immunological responses. In addition, CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺T cells were analysed in vivo and in vitro for investigating the effects on regulatory T (Treg) cells. LJE showed dose-dependent inhibitory effects against colon shortening, weight loss and histological damage. LJE down-regulated IL-1β, TNF-α, interferon-γ, IL-6, IL-12 and IL-17. However, LJE did not show any significant effects on IL-10, IL-23, transforming growth factor-β1 and Treg cell populations. In conclusion, LJE showed protective effects against DSS-induced colitis via the Th1/Th17 pathway and not via Treg cell-related mechanisms.
PMID: 22569277 DOI: 10.1017/S0007114512001122
Br J Nutr. 2013 Jan 28;109(2):283-92. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512001122. Epub 2012 May 9. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov