Longan and Ophiopogon Tonic Tea
Ingredients
- Dried longan (long yan rou) 10g
- Ophiopogon (maidong) 10–15g
- Rock sugar to taste (optional)
Principle
Longan tonifies heart and spleen and nourishes blood to calm the spirit; ophiopogon nourishes yin, generates fluids, moistens lung, and clears heart. One warming and one moistening—together they nourish yin, moisten dryness, and calm the heart (syndrome differentiation required). Fixed modern names are common in popular science; classics often use infusion or sweet soup forms.
Effects & uses
For insufficient heart yin with blood deficiency—insomnia, vivid dreams, palpitations, forgetfulness, vexation, dry mouth and throat (syndrome differentiation required). Also cited for seasonal heart calming or dry mouth and throat after chemo/radiotherapy as adjunct care. Not a substitute for psychological counseling or drug therapy.
Method
- Rinse longan and ophiopogon (lightly crush maidong); steep in boiling water 10–15 minutes; rock sugar optional.
- Or simmer in water 10 minutes after boiling; may also cook as congee.
- Sweet-soup variant—add fresh lily bulb about 50g (dried about 15g) for “longan, maidong, and lily sweet soup.”
How to use
- Drink warm as tea, one serving daily. Continuous use should not exceed two weeks without TCM reassessment.
Caution
Avoid prolonged use with internal heat or damp-heat; spleen–stomach cold and loose stools—use maidong cautiously. Diabetics—use longan cautiously. Pregnancy—avoid longan (some sources substitute southern jujube). Stop during common cold. Separate maidong from hypoglycemic drugs by at least 2 hours. A daily food-care recipe; not a substitute for medication.
Source
Family Doctor Online; Xinglin Pukang (Zhang Xiuhong, Fujian Medical University Affiliated Hospital); Fang Jie health soups; Peng Min, Shandong Provincial Hospital; Yangcheng Evening News; Fuzhou Hospital of TCM compilations. Pending manual verification.