**Dai Dai Hua (Bitter Orange Flower)**: Flower buds of *Citrus aurantium* L. (Rutaceae), a woody plant.
【Nature, Flavor, and Meridian Tropism】Slightly cold in nature, with bitter and sour flavors.
【Actions and Indications】Moves qi and broadens the center, promotes digestion, transforms phlegm, soothes the liver and regulates qi, harmonizes the stomach and stops vomiting. [Indicated for] chest and abdominal distension and pain, food accumulation with indigestion, phlegm-fluid retention, rectal prolapse, chest and rib discomfort, nausea and vomiting, and poor appetite.
**【Pharmacological Study】** Chest and epigastric fullness and stuffiness, poor appetite, nausea and vomiting, epigastric pain, abdominal pain. *Daidaidaihua* (Bitter Orange Flower) tea has good weight-loss effects. It contains multiple components including cardiac glycosides and non-cardiac glycosides, exhibiting cardiotonic, diuretic, sedative, and heart rate-slowing functions. It can reduce nervous system excitability and hyperactive spinal reflex function, and is used for acute conditions and chronic cardiac insufficiency. It is indicated for congestive heart failure, cardiogenic edema, and atrial fibrillation. When combined with silver bromide, it enhances the therapeutic effect on epilepsy.
Within the theoretical framework of Traditional Chinese Medicine, *Dai Dai Hua* (代代花), the dried flower buds of the sour orange (*Citrus aurantium*), is highly valued for its medicinal properties. In terms of nature, flavor, and meridian affinity, *Dai Dai Hua* is slightly cold in nature, bitter and sour in taste, and enters the Liver (LR) and Stomach (ST) meridians. Its core actions are to soothe the Liver and regulate Qi, harmonize the Stomach and stop vomiting, with particular benefits for the digestive system. Modern pharmacological research has further elucidated the mechanisms underlying *Dai Dai Hua* benefits for digestion: the volatile oils it contains (such as limonene and linalool) effectively promote gastrointestinal motility, relieving symptoms such as chest and abdominal distension and pain, and food accumulation with impaired digestion caused by Qi stagnation. Additionally, *Dai Dai Hua* can inhibit excessive gastric acid secretion, demonstrating significant adjunctive therapeutic effects for common conditions such as functional dyspepsia and gastroesophageal reflux disease. These properties make it frequently used in TCM clinical practice—often in combination with other herbs—to treat Spleen-Stomach Qi Stagnation pattern, illustrating traditional medicine’s profound understanding of botanical properties.
In addition to its positive effects on the digestive system, the impact of bitter orange flower (Citrus aurantium var. amara) on heart health represents another important direction in research on this botanical. The flavonoid compounds found in bitter orange flower, such as naringin and hesperidin, have been shown to dilate coronary arteries and increase myocardial blood flow, thereby improving myocardial oxygen supply. At the same time, these active components can reduce vascular resistance, regulate blood pressure levels, and delay the progression of atherosclerosis by decreasing oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) through their antioxidant effects. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, the Heart governs the blood and vessels (心主血脉), and the Liver governs free flow of Qi (肝主疏泄). By soothing the Liver and regulating Qi (疏肝理气) and harmonizing Qi and Blood (调畅气血), bitter orange flower indirectly supports the stability of the cardiovascular system. This holistic regulatory approach aligns with the multi-target therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular diseases in modern medicine, providing a scientific basis for exploring the application of natural plant resources in cardiac protection.
From traditional applications to modern research, the practice system of *Dai Dai Hua* (Bitter Orange Flower, *Citrus aurantium* var. *amara*) in traditional Chinese medicine has established a complete medicinal logic. In TCM formulas, *Dai Dai Hua* is often combined with *Citrus reticulata* (Chenpi) and *Fructus Aurantii* (Zhiqiao) to enhance its action of moving qi and relieving distension; or used together with *Bupleurum chinense* (Chaihu) and *Paeonia lactiflora* (Baishao) to strengthen its effect of soothing the Liver and relieving Stagnation. Notably, the slightly cold property of *Dai Dai Hua* makes it more suitable for patterns of Qi Stagnation transforming into Heat or Liver Depression with Heat, while caution is needed in cases of Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold. Modern clinical observations have also validated its safety, with few adverse reactions at conventional dosages. As research into the chemical constituents and pharmacological actions of *Dai Dai Hua* deepens, its prospects as a medicinal and edible plant are becoming increasingly broad—whether used as a tea to aid digestion or as a functional food ingredient to support cardiovascular health, *Dai Dai Hua* demonstrates unique value. This integration of traditional experience with modern science represents a key pathway for advancing the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.