About This Herb*
Traditional Chinese Medicine background and properties
Herb Description*
Jīn Qián Cǎo, or Gold Coin Grass, is one of the most widely used herbs in Chinese medicine for supporting kidney, bladder, and gallbladder health. It is especially valued for helping the body pass kidney and gallbladder stones, and is also used for urinary tract discomfort, jaundice, and related conditions involving dampness and heat in the body.
Herb Category*
Main Actions*
- Clears Damp-Heat and Resolves Jaundice
- Promotes Urination and Relieves Stranguria
- Expels Urinary Stones
- Clears Heat and Resolves Toxicity
- Reduces swelling
How These Actions Work*
'Clears damp-heat and relieves jaundice' means Jīn Qián Cǎo drains the combination of dampness and heat that can accumulate in the Liver and Gallbladder, causing yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), dark urine, and a feeling of heaviness. Its sweet and salty flavours help draw dampness out through the urine, while its cool nature clears the heat component. This is why it is a go-to herb whenever jaundice appears alongside signs of internal heat and dampness.
'Promotes urination and unblocks painful urinary dysfunction' refers to the herb's ability to increase urine output and ease the burning, stinging pain of urinary tract conditions that TCM calls 'lín syndrome.' It is especially valued for stone-type lín (shí lín), where gravel or stones cause sharp pain during urination. The herb works by flushing the urinary tract while simultaneously cooling the inflammatory heat that often accompanies these conditions.
'Expels stones' is arguably the most famous action of Jīn Qián Cǎo. Its salty taste is understood in TCM to soften hardness, which applies directly to the hardened mineral deposits of kidney, bladder, and gallbladder stones. The herb is used in large doses (often 30 to 60 grams) to both dissolve and flush out stones from the biliary and urinary systems. Modern research has shown it can inhibit the crystallization of calcium oxalate, a major component of kidney stones.
'Clears heat and resolves toxins' means this herb can address hot, inflamed conditions such as boils, abscesses, and even snakebites. The fresh herb can be juiced and taken internally or mashed and applied directly to the affected area. This action reflects its cool nature working to counteract the heat and poison driving these conditions.
Patterns Addressed*
In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony that reveal what's out of balance in the body. Jin Qian Cao is traditionally associated with these specific patterns.
The following describes this herb's classification within Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and is provided for educational purposes only.
Why Jin Qian Cao addresses this pattern
When damp-heat lodges in the Liver and Gallbladder, it obstructs the normal flow of bile, leading to jaundice, rib-side pain, bitter taste, and dark urine. Jīn Qián Cǎo enters the Liver and Gallbladder channels directly and its cool nature clears the heat while its sweet and bland flavours promote the drainage of dampness downward through the urine. Its salty taste softens any hardened accumulations (such as gallstones) that often develop when damp-heat stagnates in the biliary system over time. This makes it uniquely suited to address both the root cause (damp-heat) and its common complication (stones) in this pattern.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Yellow skin and eyes from bile obstruction
Distending pain below the ribs on the right side
Scanty, dark yellow urine
Bitter taste, especially in the morning
Why Jin Qian Cao addresses this pattern
When damp-heat pours downward into the Bladder, it produces painful, burning, and difficult urination, sometimes with blood or sediment. Jīn Qián Cǎo enters the Kidney and Bladder channels and strongly promotes urination, flushing damp-heat out through the urinary tract. Its cool nature directly opposes the heat causing the burning pain, while its bland taste promotes the seepage of fluids. Its salty taste additionally softens and helps expel any stone or gravel formations in the urinary system, making it the premier herb for stone-type lín syndrome.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Burning or stinging pain on urination
Gravel or stones in urine, sharp loin pain
Frequent, urgent, scanty urination
Blood in urine from stones or heat
Why Jin Qian Cao addresses this pattern
Jīn Qián Cǎo's cool nature and detoxifying action make it useful when toxic heat manifests as boils, abscesses, or swollen sores on the skin. Its ability to clear heat and resolve toxins helps reduce inflammation and promote healing. The fresh herb is traditionally juiced or mashed for direct application to the affected area. This is a secondary application compared to its stone-expelling actions, but it remains clinically relevant for hot, inflamed skin conditions and even snakebite.
A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs
Red, swollen, painful boils or abscesses
Hot, inflamed skin sores
TCM Properties*
Cool
Sweet (甘 gān), Salty (咸 xián), Bland (淡 dàn)
Whole plant / Aerial parts (全草 quán cǎo)
This is partial information on the herb's TCM properties. More detailed information is available on the herb's dedicated page
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.