IngredientsDianthus superbus L., commonly known as the fringed pink or large pink, is a species of Dianthus native to Europe and northern Asia, from France north to arctic Norway, and east to Japan; in the south of its range it occurs at high altitudes, up to 2,400 m. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and official Chinese pharmacopeial nomenclature, the drug prepared from this species is known as Qumai (瞿麦), while the herbal drug itself is referred to as Dianthi herba.
According to the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (PRC; 2020), the authentic varieties of Dianthi herba are derived from the dried aerial parts of Dianthus superbus L. and Dianthus chinensis L., belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae, known as "Qumai" and "Shizhu," respectively. The plant belongs to the same family as carnations and shares the genus with the familiar garden pinks.
Dianthus superbus is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 80 cm tall. The leaves are green to greyish green, slender, up to 8 cm long. The flowers are sweetly scented, 3–5 cm in diameter, with five deeply cut fringed petals, pink to lavender with a greenish base; they are produced in branched clusters at the top of the stems from early to late summer.
The species is native to Europe and northern Asia, from northernmost Spain and France north to arctic Norway, and east to Japan. It commonly grows at high altitudes and is native to European and Asian countries, and is widely distributed in Mongolia. Several species of Dianthus have been considered medicinally important, as they are widely used to treat various infections and diseases in China, Korea, Iran and Mongolia for millennia.
In China, Dianthi herba is sold commercially based on the external features of the dried aerial part. Currently, most medicinal products of Dianthi herba sold in the market are sourced from D. chinensis and D. superbus, but there are also products containing adulterants, such as D. chinensis var. versicolor and D. superbus var. longicalycinus.
Dianthi herba is the dried aerial part of Dianthus superbus L. and Dianthus chinensis L. In the medical preparation, the whole above-ground plant is used. Historically, Dianthus extracts have been employed to support urinary health, promote diuresis, and address menstrual irregularities. These uses stem from centuries of empirical experience, where the plant's aerial parts were prepared as teas or decoctions. The typical dosage of dianthus is 3–10 grams per day, taken as a decoction, pill or powder. Some practitioners recommend a slightly higher dose (6–12 grams). Dianthus is available as a pill, powder or decoction; some herbal shops also sell concentrated dianthus extracts.
The flowers are harvested just before they open for medicinal applications. Processing involves eliminating foreign matter, washing clean, softening briefly, cutting into sections, and drying.
The fringed pink, called Qu Mai in Chinese herbalism, has been used in Chinese herbal medicine for over 2,000 years. The first record of Dianthi herba is in the Shennong Bencaojing (the Classic of Herbal Medicine). Its use was first mentioned in the 1st century CE in the Chinese herbal, Divine Husbandman's Classic of the Materia Medica.
The textual legend of the plant is shown in Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu, where the plant is described to have a fruit resembling wheat. The plant morphology of a carnation — "stem with distinct nodes, leaves opposite, striate, bract subcalyx, petal margins shallowly toothed" — has been accurately described in the book of Zhi Wu Ming Shi Tu Kao. Since the Liang Dynasty, Dianthus has been used as a medicinal herb under the name "Qumai."
Ancient books describe the characteristics of Dianthi herba: it tastes bitter, and is cold and non-toxic. It is mainly used as a diuretic to help relieve the pain during urination. Its classical clinical uses include the treatment of urinary tract infections, red and astringent urination, dysmenorrhea, red eye, eye swelling and pain, esophageal cancer, and rectal cancer.
Traditionally, it has been used to cure diuresis, invigorate blood circulation, and regulate menstruation. Owing to its good efficacy, Dianthi herba is often used in combination with other TCMs to treat diseases. Little used on its own, it is often taken with Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) to induce menstruation.
In traditional Chinese medicine, dianthus is considered bitter and cold, and is associated with the Bladder, Heart and Small Intestine meridians. It promotes urination, drains damp heat from the bladder, and dispels blood stasis.
Qumai is still used today to treat kidney stones, urinary tract infections, constipation, and dysmenorrhea.
Traditional Chinese herbalism classified the plant as abortifacient, antibacterial, astringent, contraceptive, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, haemostatic, ophthalmic, resolvent, tonic, urinary, and vulnerary. It is ranked 9th in a list of 250 potential antifertility Chinese plants.
Dianthi herba is used as medicine by ethnic minorities in China. It is recorded in Zhonghua Materia Medica — Mongolian Medicine Volume; it is indicated for blood fever, blood tingling, liver fever, and other diseases such as phase stroke and puerperal fever. A formulation called Digeda-4 decoction, which contains Dianthi herba, has been included in the Encyclopedia of Mongolian Medicine and The Pharmaceutical Standards of the Ministry of Health — Mongolian Medicine Volume.
One classical prescription, Shi Wei Powder, contains Dianthi herba (30 g) together with P. lingua (60 g), Plantago seed (90 g), and M. verticillata (60 g), and was used for treating gonorrhea, adverse urination, and stabbing pain during urination, with the purpose of clearing blood heat.
Dianthus, a genus commonly referred to as "pinks" or "carnations," has a rich history in traditional medicine, particularly within Chinese and European herbal practices. Various pinks have been used as medicines throughout European history. The clove pink (Dianthus caryophyllus) has been documented as a western herbal remedy. However, the specifically medicinal use of D. superbus as Dianthi herba is rooted principally in East Asian traditions.
Approximately 194 chemical compounds have been identified and isolated from Dianthi herba, the most important being triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, and volatile oil compounds. The present review revealed that 194 compounds from D. superbus and D. chinensis have been reported, and they are mainly classified as saponins, flavonoids, peptides, anthraquinones, phenolic acids, amides, phenylpropanoids, and others.
Triterpenoid saponins such as dianosides A to I are reported to be among the major bioactive compounds in D. superbus; compounds including dianthosaponins, dianthramide, flavonoid, coumarin, triterpenoid, pyran-type glycoside, and cyclic peptides have also been isolated from D. superbus. The plant is traditionally recognized to contain dianthosaponins, dianthramides, flavonoids, coumarin, triterpenoids, pyran-type glycosides, and cyclic peptides.
The plant contains saponins, but apparently in quantities too low to cause harm. Although fairly toxic, saponins are poorly absorbed by the body and most pass straight through without harm. Saponins are found in many foods, such as beans.
Flavonoids isolated from Dianthi herba include luteolin, kaempferol, quercetrin, tricin, diosmetin, and 5-hydroxy-7,3',4'-trimethoxydihydroflavone, among others. The plant mainly consists of anthocyanin, methyl salicylate, eugenol, vitamin A, saponins, and flavonoids that exhibit pharmacological properties including diuretic, antioxidant, hypotensive, and anti-neuritic effects.
Dianthus superbus has rich contents of metabolites such as cyclic peptides and flavonol glycosides. The cyclic peptide composition was higher in ethyl acetate (EA) than in butanol (Bu) extractions, but not detected in distilled water (DW) extractions.
Four new cyclic peptides — dianthins C, D, E, and F — and a new dianthramide, 4-methoxydianthramide B, have been isolated from the MeOH extract of Dianthus superbus. The sequences of these cyclic peptides were elucidated using ESI tandem mass fragmentation analysis, chemical evidence, and extensive 2D NMR methods. Additional cyclic peptides, dianthins G and H, together with the known dianthin E, have also been isolated from D. superbus.
Dianthus species revealed that plants belonging to this genus are a rich source of triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, pyrane-like glycosides, macrocyclic anthocyanins, and cyclopeptides.
A total of 15 phenolic acids have been isolated from Dianthi herba, including p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid, and methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate, among others.
Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Dianthi herba has antitumor, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, uterine excitatory, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective properties. Each of these activities has been linked to particular phytochemical constituents, although the precise molecular mechanisms in many cases remain incompletely characterized. Further studies should be carried out on Dianthi herba to elucidate more of its active principles and their mechanisms of action.
The whole plant is described as a bitter tonic herb that stimulates the digestive and urinary system, and also the bowels. It also lowers blood pressure, reduces fevers and controls bacterial infections. The diuretic effect has historically been attributed to the saponin and flavonoid fractions, which exhibit pharmacological properties including diuretic, antioxidant, hypotensive, and anti-neuritic effects.
Extracts of dianthus can stimulate uterine contractions, and the effect is dose-dependent; that is, the more dianthus a person receives, the longer and more intense the uterine contractions will be. This property has been documented in both in vitro (rat uterus) and in vivo (rabbit uterus) models, as referenced in the 2022 comprehensive review of Dianthi herba.
As a plant with dual medicinal and edible value in TCM, Dianthus superbus L. is traditionally recognized for its ethnopharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory effects ("clearing heat"), diuretic activity, and historical use in regulating blood circulation-related menstrual disorders. Additionally, Qumai extracts exhibit inhibitory effects on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
Research has shown that the volume and quantity of Chlamydia inclusions decreased gradually with increasing Qumai decoction concentration, and finally disappeared. Chlamydia trachomatis growth was found in blank control wells but not in negative control wells. Antimicrobial experiments with several strains were used to compare the plant-based cyclopolypeptide from D. superbus with the standard drug griseofulvin.
In a murine asthma model, the ethanolic extract of D. superbus fructus (DSE) significantly reduced the levels of IL-4, IL-13, eotaxin, and immunoglobulin E, decreased the number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and mucus production in the respiratory tract. DSE also attenuated the overexpression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein induced by ovalbumin challenge.
The flavonol glycosides quercetin 3-rutinoside and isorhamnetin 3-glucoside showed higher neuraminidase inhibition activity in a dose-dependent manner. Molecular docking studies revealed that flavonol glycosides have higher binding activities towards influenza polymerase membrane glycoprotein. Correlation studies showed that flavonol glycosides were linked to anti-influenza activity and cyclic peptides with anticancer activities.
Among the cyclic peptide compounds referred to as dianthin A–F, dianthin E has demonstrated cytotoxicity towards HepG2 liver cancer cells, but it has no activity against other cancer cell lines. In another study from Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus, a cyclopentapeptide named longicalycinin A was isolated. The activity of longicalycinin A was evaluated towards liver (HepG2 and Hep3B), breast (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), and lung cancer (A-549) cell lines, with the most significant toxicity recorded on HepG2, although this effect was less than that of dianthin E.
Compounds isolated from D. superbus were evaluated for their neuroprotective activity against glutamate-induced cell death in the hippocampal neuronal HT22 cells. The extract of D. superbus and compounds isolated from it exhibited neuroprotective properties, suggesting therapeutic potential for applications in neurotoxic diseases.
This is historically the most prominent medicinal application of fringed pink, and the area with the most accumulated, if still predominantly pre-clinical and traditional clinical, evidence.
In TCM, Qumai is widely used to treat urethritis, as a diuretic, for carbuncles, and for carcinoma effects; it is also widely used as a natural agent for anti-inflammatory and urinary infections. Dianthi herba is mainly used as a diuretic to help relieve the pain during urination. Its clinical uses include the treatment of urinary tract infections, red and astringent urination, dysmenorrhea, red eye, eye swelling and pain, esophageal cancer, and rectal cancer.
In the context of clinical applications, a Dianthus superbus decoction combined with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for the treatment of ureteral calculi was reported to require a short treatment time and showed that patients exhibited a low recurrence rate. However, the evidence base for human clinical trials of D. superbus as a standalone intervention for urinary tract infection remains limited to traditional use records and a small number of Chinese-language clinical reports; no large-scale, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Western literature have been identified. A recent review of the plant concluded that "the traditional applications of Dianthi herba have been confirmed, including the treatment of urinary tract infection and dysmenorrhea."
Evidence strength: Traditional use is extensive and well-documented. In vitro antimicrobial data (against E. coli, S. aureus, and Chlamydia trachomatis) lend preliminary biological plausibility. Clinical evidence in modern trial formats is very limited.
The primary TCM action is described as relieving dysuria and stimulating menstrual discharge. Traditional indications include urinary tract infection, urolithiasis with difficult or painful urination or hematuria, and amenorrhea.
The uterine excitatory activity of D. superbus extracts has been documented in animal studies. Extracts of dianthus can stimulate uterine contractions, and the effect is dose-dependent. These findings are consistent with its TCM application for dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea, and align with its pharmacopeial listing. No rigorous human RCTs in this application area are available in the peer-reviewed literature reviewed.
Evidence strength: Traditional use is well-established. Animal pharmacological data support uterine excitatory activity. Human clinical trial data are absent in the modern peer-reviewed literature.
Previous studies have reported that Dianthus superbus extracts show antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. From pharmacological screening, plant-based cyclopolypeptide XIII from D. superbus was found to possess high cytotoxic activity against DLA and EAC cell lines and potent antimicrobial activity against pathogenic fungi.
Evidence strength: In vitro studies only. No human clinical trials. The antimicrobial effects have been demonstrated against several bacterial and fungal pathogens in laboratory conditions, but translation to clinical settings has not been established.
Ethyl acetate (EA) extracts of D. superbus showed strong anticancer activity with IC50 of 9.5, 13.8 and 69.9 μg/mL on SKOV, NCL-H1299, and Caski cancer cell lines, respectively. Butanol (Bu) extracts exhibited the strongest antiviral activity with respect to both influenza A and B viruses, with IC50 values of 4.97 and 3.9 μg/mL, respectively. Molecular docking studies revealed that flavonol glycosides have higher binding activities towards influenza polymerase membrane glycoprotein.
Evidence strength: In vitro and in silico studies only. No human trials. Results are preliminary and require further investigation.
The cyclic peptides isolated from D. superbus have been studied for cytotoxic effects against cancer cell lines. The cytotoxicity of longicalycinin A in two cell lines from ascitic Dalton lymphoma (DLA) and ascitic Ehrlich carcinoma (EAC) was found to be much higher than that of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), which was used as a positive control. Dianthin A was also reported to have anticancer effects on DLA and EAC cell lines, comparable to 5-FU.
Compounds 3 and 5 (dianthins C–F and 4-methoxydianthramide B) showed cytotoxicities toward the HepG2 cancer cell line with IC50 values of 2.37 and 4.08 μg/mL, respectively. Longicalycinin A showed cytotoxicity to the HepG2 cancer cell line.
Evidence strength: All evidence is in vitro (cell line) or animal-model based. No clinical trials in humans. Results demonstrate interesting biological activity, but are far from establishing clinical utility in oncology.
A study investigated the effects of D. superbus ethyl acetate–soluble fraction (DS-EA) on glomerular fibrosis and renal dysfunction implicated in diabetic nephropathy in human renal mesangial cells and db/db mice. DS-EA was administered to db/db mice at 10 or 50 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks. DS-EA treatment significantly ameliorated blood glucose, insulin, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, and HbA1c in diabetic mice. DS-EA decreased albumin excretion, creatinine clearance (Ccr), and plasma creatinine levels, and also ameliorated the levels of kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) and C-reactive protein.
Evidence strength: Animal study (murine diabetic model) and in vitro cell work. No human clinical trials. The results are preliminary and hypothesis-generating.
A study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of Dianthus superbus fructus ethanolic extract (DSE) on Th2-type cytokines, eosinophil infiltration, and other factors in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine asthma model, including evaluation of the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the respiratory tract. Mice were administered DSE orally at doses of 100 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg once daily from day 18 to day 23. DSE significantly reduced the levels of IL-4, IL-13, eotaxin, and IgE, and decreased the number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. DSE also attenuated the overexpression of iNOS protein. The results suggest that DSE effectively protects against allergic airway inflammation by downregulating iNOS expression and that DSE has potential as a therapeutic agent for allergic asthma.
Evidence strength: Animal study (murine model) only. The study provides mechanistic insight but no clinical evidence. Research indicates that its components may be effective in treating airway inflammation due to asthma.
A study isolated ten bioactive compounds from D. superbus and evaluated their neuroprotective activity against glutamate-induced cell death in the hippocampal neuronal HT22 cells. Dianthus superbus belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family and has been used in Chinese traditional medicine as a diuretic, a contraceptive, and an anti-inflammatory agent. Previous studies have revealed various biological activities of D. superbus, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Evidence strength: In vitro (neuronal cell line) only. Entirely preliminary; no animal or human trial data for this specific application.
The dosage range stated in pharmacopeial and traditional sources is 9 to 15 g of dried herb per preparation. The drug should be preserved in a ventilated and dry place. The typical dosage of dianthus is 3–10 grams per day, taken as a decoction, pill or powder. Some practitioners recommend a slightly higher dose of 6–12 grams. Dianthus is available as a pill, powder or decoction.
In pharmacological research:
No standardized human dosage based on modern clinical pharmacokinetic or dose-finding studies has been established in the peer-reviewed literature. All contemporary dosage recommendations derive from traditional TCM practice and pharmacopeial records.
This is the most clearly documented safety concern. Dianthi herba is contraindicated in pregnancy. Extracts of dianthus can stimulate uterine contractions, and the effect is dose-dependent. Large doses of dianthus can cause long-term contractions of the uterus. Because dianthus can stimulate contraction of the uterus, it should not be taken by women who are pregnant or have recently given birth.
The plant is classified in traditional Chinese herbalism as abortifacient and contraceptive. It is ranked 9th in a list of 250 potential antifertility Chinese plants. Antifertility effects of crude extracts in mice have been documented in the scientific literature dating back several decades.
Although poisonous in concentration, saponins also have a range of medicinal applications. Saponins are found in a number of common foods, such as many beans. Saponins have a quite bitter flavor and are in general poorly absorbed by the human body, so most pass through without harm. They can be removed by carefully leaching in running water. One report says that the plant contains saponins but that the leaves are apparently not toxic, probably because the content of saponins is too low to be harmful.
The Royal Horticultural Society classifies Dianthus superbus as a skin allergen and recommends wearing gloves and other protective equipment when handling the plant.
As of the available published literature, there are no well-characterized drug interactions with dianthus documented in the peer-reviewed scientific record. Given its documented uterine-stimulating activity, theoretical interactions with other uterotonic, oxytocic, or prostaglandin-modulating drugs should be considered, though this has not been directly studied in human populations.
In China, Dianthi herba is sold commercially based on the external features of the dried aerial part. Currently, most medicinal products sold in the market are sourced from D. chinensis and D. superbus, but there are also products containing adulterants, such as D. chinensis var. versicolor and D. superbus var. longicalycinus. The pharmacopeial identification method for authentication relies on thin-layer chromatography. Variability in product composition is a recognized quality concern.
The 2022 comprehensive review of Dianthi herba, published in the peer-reviewed journal Chinese Medicine (BioMed Central), concluded that these compounds possess antiviral, anticancer, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties, inter alia. Further studies should be carried out on Dianthi herba to elucidate more of its active principles and their mechanisms of action. The vast majority of experimental evidence for D. superbus comes from in vitro cell studies and animal models. The clinical evidence base in the Western peer-reviewed literature consists primarily of traditional use documentation and a limited set of Chinese-language clinical reports. Large, well-designed randomized controlled trials in human populations are absent.
Health conditions that Fringed pink may help support.
Body systems that Fringed pink may help support.
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