Forsythia is a shrub that produces fruits called Lian Qiao, which is used as a medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine.
In the past, Lian Qiao has been used to help treat various symptoms including fever, nausea, and sore throat. And it's often combined with other herbs to maximize the benefits, most commonly honeysuckle.
However, there's limited evidence to prove forsythia's effectiveness. And experts recommend getting a diagnosis for any illness before attempting treatment with forsythia, or other herbal medicines.
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Forsythia: What the science says
The majority of published scientific studies on forsythia's medicinal properties have been conducted either in animals or in vitro — meaning outside of a living organism, likely either in a petri dish or test tube.
That's why there's very little scientific proof of forsythia's effectiveness in humans because the research doesn't exist. That said, researchers have still attempted to study forsythia's properties to understand its health effects, publishing dozens of papers on the topic.
From animal and in vitro studies, researchers have found several properties that could help explain some of forsythia's purported benefits in traditional Chinese medicine including:
- Antibacterial: A 2017 review published in Molecules found that in vitro, dried fruit from the forsythia plant has been shown to combat bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus (staph), E. coli, and streptococcus, amongst others.
- Antiviral: A 2013 study published in Integrative Biology investigated the effects of both forsythia and Japanese honeysuckle on the influenza virus, and found that they both restrain the virus from multiplying and boost immune cell function. Another in vitro study, published in 2010 in the Journal of Medicinal Plant Research, suggests that forsythia could be effective against H1N1, as well.
- Anti-inflammatory: For a 2017 study conducted in mice, published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, researchers reported that forsythia shows promise in treating intestinal inflammatory conditions like ulcerative colitis — a condition characterized by having inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract.
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Uses of forsythia
Due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties, forsythia is typically used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat bacterial and viral infections, and it's even been studied in treating certain cancers, says Deborah Ann Ballard, MD, MPH, internal medicine doctor at Duke Integrative Medicine.
A 2015 study published in Molecular Medicine Reports put esophageal cancer cells into mice, and found that forsythia inhibited the growth of the cancer cells. However, more research needs to be done to determine the cancer-fighting ability of forsythia in humans.
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Forsythia in popular media
If forsythia sounds familiar to you it might be because you've seen it mentioned in the 2011 movie, "Contagion." While the movie focuses on a fictional virus, called MEV-1, the herbal remedy for it is real — forsythia.
How to take forsythia
Forsythia is generally sold as a powder or tincture. However, when used for medicinal purposes, it's rarely taken alone, says Sharon Hennessey, DAOM, L.AC, Domain Chair of the Acupuncture Department, at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine at California Institute of Integral Studies.
Hennessey says to follow dosing directions from the manufacturer and take forsythia at the onset of the first symptoms you notice, so for example, a fever or sore throat.
The safest and best way to take forsythia is to discuss dosage with an herbal medicine expert or Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner. Doses and formulations can vary from person to person, and it's best to get some professional help when using forsythia. However, forsythia products are not FDA approved.
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Risks of taking forsythia
The risks of physical side effects from forsythia are low, says Hennessey. However, forsythia may slow blood clotting, which means that it carries a risk of extra bleeding and should not be used for at least two weeks before surgery.
You should not try to treat yourself or self medicate with forsythia. Ballard says that if you think you may have a serious medical condition, you should see a doctor to be evaluated and determine a course of treatment. Only then should you determine if herbal remedies, like forsythia, would be a part of that treatment plan.
Additionally, she does not recommend buying just any type of forsythia supplements or tinctures online.
"I do not recommend anyone take forsythia without consulting a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor. Proper use of this or any remedy requires an individualized assessment and approach," says Ballard. For that reason, she says that she does not prescribe forsythia to her patients.
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The Bottom Line
Forsythia has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help treat various bacterial and viral infections. However, there's limited scientific proof to support the shrub's effectiveness compared to other conventional drugs.
Overall, it's best to discuss the use of forsythia with a professional before using it yourself or recommending it to others. You should be particularly careful when taking other medications with forsythia since we do not have enough information on what reactions is occur. And it's very important to have a proper diagnosis before determining a treatment plan, whether it involves herbs or not.
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Ashley Laderer is a freelance writer from New York who specializes in health and wellness. Follow her on Twitter@ashladerer
