Does chrysanthemum tea lower blood pressure or protect the liver?

Chrysanthemum flowers are rich in several classes of bioactive compounds. The dominant flavonoids are luteolin, apigenin, and acacetin, typically found as glycosides that are hydrolyzed during brewing and digestion. The flowers also contain chlorogenic acid and other hydroxycinnamic acids.

A 2019 analysis of seventeen commercial chrysanthemum teas found that all hot-water extracts suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin-6, IL-1β, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in cultured immune cells². They also reduced hydrogen peroxide-induced reactive oxygen species. This places chrysanthemum tea firmly in the category of genuinely anti-inflammatory beverages — not just antioxidant-rich ones.

Cardiovascular Support

In TCM, chrysanthemum has been used for hypertension and poor circulation for centuries. Laboratory work supports the mechanistic basis for this. A 2010 study demonstrated that Chrysanthemum morifolium extract and its isolated flavonoids luteolin and apigenin dose-dependently inhibited ICAM-1 and E-selectin expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells exposed to oxidized LDL — a direct model of early cardiovascular disease⁴. These adhesion molecules are key players in atherosclerotic plaque formation.

A 2016 animal study showed that C. morifolium extract significantly reduced blood pressure and prevented cardiac hypertrophy in hypertensive rats, with the mechanism linked to inhibition of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α pathway in heart muscle³. Adenosine and flavonoids in the flower are thought to contribute to vasodilation.

Liver Protection

Chrysanthemum indicum flower tea — the species more commonly used in Korea — has been investigated for hepatoprotective properties. A 2013 study found that the hot water extract significantly reduced liver enzyme levels (GOT by 60.1%, GPT by 64.5%) in CCl4-induced liver toxicity in animal models, and improved the survival of liver cell lines exposed to hepatotoxins⁵. The researchers identified inhibition of CYP2E1 as part of the protective mechanism.

Eye Health

In TCM, chrysanthemum is specifically associated with the liver meridian and the eyes — it is one of the most commonly prescribed herbs for tired, red, or dry eyes. Modern research has only begun to investigate this connection. An effect on oxidative stress in the eye is plausible given the flower's high flavonoid content, but dedicated clinical trials on eye health are lacking.

Varieties and Brewing

Four regional varieties of C. morifolium are most commonly used in China: hangbaiju (from Hangzhou), gongju (tribute chrysanthemum), huaiju (from Huaian), and Snow chrysanthemum from Xinjiang — the latter having a notably higher antioxidant activity due to its anthocyanin content².

To brew: steep 5–8 dried flowers in 200 ml of water at 85–90°C for 3–5 minutes. Longer steeping extracts more flavonoids but may increase bitterness. Many people in China add a small piece of rock sugar or a few wolfberries (goji). It can be drunk hot or chilled.

See our quercetin page for more on flavonoids similar to those in chrysanthemum. The hibiscus tea page covers another caffeine-free tea with strong blood pressure evidence.

Phytochemical Profile and Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms

Yuan et al. (2020) reviewed the applications in traditional Chinese medicine and diet, cultivars, phytochemistry, quality control, pharmacology, and toxicity of Juhua, the flower head of Chrysanthemum morifolium¹. They describe it as mainly used for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and report antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective, and cardiovascular activities, largely from laboratory studies. The dominant flavonoids are luteolin, apigenin, and acacetin.

The anti-inflammatory mechanisms documented for these compounds include:

• Inhibition of NF-κB nuclear translocation, suppressing transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines
• Downregulation of COX-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)
• Scavenging of reactive oxygen species via direct antioxidant activity
• Modulation of MAPK signaling pathways (p38 and JNK)

Li et al. (2019) — Chemical Analysis of Commercial Teas

Li et al. analyzed seventeen commercial chrysanthemum teas including hangbaiju, gongju, huaiju, Snow chrysanthemum, and Coreopsis tinctoria (a common adulterant)². Using UPLC/Q-TOF-MS, they identified 6,8-C,C-diglucosylapigenin and eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside for the first time in Snow chrysanthemum, and acetylmarein in several traditional varieties.

Key anti-inflammatory findings: all hot-water extracts suppressed LPS-induced IL-6, IL-1β, and COX-2 mRNA expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages. The Snow chrysanthemum extract, enriched in anthocyanins, showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (ORAC value: 1222.50 μmol Trolox equivalents/g), substantially outperforming some varieties of green tea in this assay.

Gao et al. (2016) — Hypertension and Cardiac Hypertrophy

This study used spontaneously hypertensive rats treated with C. morifolium extract over 12 weeks³. Treated animals showed significant reductions in systolic blood pressure compared to controls, along with decreased left ventricular hypertrophy (measured by heart weight-to-body-weight ratio and posterior wall thickness). Mechanistically, the extract inhibited myocardial HIF-1α expression — a transcription factor activated by chronic hypertension that drives pathological cardiac remodeling. The researchers attributed the blood pressure effects primarily to the vasodilatory activity of adenosine and luteolin in the extract.

Limitations: rodent model only; no human clinical trial has directly evaluated chrysanthemum extract for hypertension in a controlled design.

Lii et al. (2010) — Cardiovascular Protection

Lii et al. investigated whether C. morifolium extracts could suppress the adhesion molecule expression that initiates atherosclerosis⁴. Oxidized LDL-treated human endothelial cells showed strongly upregulated ICAM-1 and E-selectin — both markers of early atherosclerotic endothelial activation. Treatment with the chrysanthemum hot-water extract, the ethanol extract, or isolated luteolin/apigenin dose-dependently inhibited this expression. The mechanism involved PI3K/Akt pathway modulation and antioxidant activity.

The effect sizes were substantial (>50% inhibition at tested concentrations), suggesting that the flavonoids achieve biologically relevant concentrations in endothelial tissue. However, ex vivo cell studies do not directly translate to in vivo outcomes without supporting pharmacokinetic data.

Jeong et al. (2013) — Liver Protection

In a CCl4-induced liver toxicity model, Jeong et al. showed that hot water extract of C. indicum flower significantly reduced serum GOT and GPT (markers of liver cell damage) by 60.1% and 64.5% respectively compared to vehicle controls⁵. The extract also improved survival of HepG2 (human hepatoma) and Chang (normal hepatic) cell lines treated with hepatotoxins. The proposed mechanism was inhibition of CYP2E1, a cytochrome P450 enzyme that bioactivates CCl4 into toxic radicals.

This study used the C. indicum species (wild chrysanthemum), which is botanically distinct from the cultivated C. morifolium used for tea in China. While both species share overlapping phytochemical profiles, the extent to which results translate between species requires further investigation.

Overall Assessment

The evidence for chrysanthemum tea is strongest for anti-inflammatory activity (multiple in vitro studies with consistent results) and mechanistically plausible for cardiovascular support and liver protection. Eye health benefits are supported by traditional use and theoretical antioxidant mechanisms but lack dedicated clinical trial evidence. The tea is exceptionally safe — no significant adverse effects have been documented in the literature, and its long history of use by hundreds of millions of people provides substantial real-world safety evidence. People with chrysanthemum pollen allergies should exercise caution.