Huang Lian
| 3g | | (ginger processed)
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Pinyin: Huang Lian
Chinese: 黄连
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Coptidis
Taxonomy: Coptidis chinensis
English: Coptis Rhizome / Goldthread Rhizome
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Tastes: Bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Stomach, Large Intestine and Liver
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Actions & Indications:
- Clears Heat and drains Dampness
Damp-Heat in the Stomach or Intestines with diarrhoea or dysenteric disorder
Stomach Heat with vomiting and/or acid regurgitation
- Drains Fire and resolves Fire toxicity
Heat with Blazing Fire (Toxic Heat) with high fever. irritability, disorientation, delirium, a red tongue and a rapid, full pulse
Heat from Excess with toxicity: painful, red eyes and a sore throat
Boils, carbuncles and abscesses (Chuang Yung)
- Clears Heat and stops bleeding
Blood Heat with epistaxis, hematuria, hemafecia and hemoptysis
- Clears Heat topically
Infected wounds, red and painful eyes, ulcerations of the tongue and mouth (topical)
- Clears Heart Fire (sedative)
Heart Fire
Lack of communication between the Heart and Kidneys
- Drains Stomach Fire
Stomach Fire
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Standard Dosage: 2-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for deficiency-cold syndrome. Because its taste is extremly bitter and dryness, overdosage and long-time taking will impair spleen and stomach, yin and fluids. |
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Hou Po
| 6g | | (prepared)
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Pinyin: Hou Po
Chinese: 厚朴
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Magnoliae
Taxonomy: Magnolia officinalis
English: Magnolia Bark
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Tastes: Bitter, pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Lung and Large Intestine
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Actions & Indications:
- Promotes the movement of Qi in the Middle Jiao and resolves Stagnation
Abdominal, epigastric, and/or chest fullness, bloating, loss of appetite, poor digestion, constipation
Plum Pit Qi, a feeling of a lump in throat, usually considered psychosomatic today (globus hystericus). Hou Po has modern indications as neuroprotective and also features in formulas like Da/Xiao Cheng Qi Tang which deal with neuropsychiatric symptoms like delirium.
- Promotes the movement of Qi downward, dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
Dampness or Phlegm Obstructing the Middle Jiao with distention, fullness, nausea and diarrhoea
- Descends Rebellious Qi, reduces Phlegm and calms wheezing
Cough and wheezing due to Phlegm congesting the Lungs
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for the syndrome of qi deficiency and fluid consumption, and in pregnant women. Due to some of the anticoagulant effects of its constituents it should be used with caution in conjunction with blood thinners. |
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Zhi Zi
| 9g | |
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Pinyin: Zhi Zi
Chinese: 栀子
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Gardeniae
Taxonomy: Gardenia jasminoides
English: Gardenia Fruit
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Tastes: Bitter and cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Liver, Stomach and Lung
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Actions & Indications:
- Clears Heat, reduces Fire and eliminates irritability in the San Jiao
Excess Heat in the Heart, Stomach and Liver with high fever, irritability, restlessness, a stifling sensation in the chest, insomnia or delirious speech, eye problems, anger, jaundice
- Clears Heat and resolves Dampness (Drains Damp-Heat)
Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao with painful urinary dysfunction (Lin Syndrome)
Damp-Heat in the Liver/Gallbladder with jaundice
Damp-Heat in the San Jiao
Damp-Heat in the Gallbladder and San Jiao channels of the face affecting the nose and eyes or causing sores in the mouth or facial region
- Cools the Blood and relieves toxicity (stops bleeding by astringing)
Heat in the Blood with epistaxis, hematemesis, hemafecia or hematuria (partially charred)
- Reduces swelling and invigorates the Blood
Blood Stagnation due to trauma (topical)
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Standard Dosage: 5-15g in decoction.
Cautions: Being strongly bitter in flavor and cold in nature, it is not good for deficiency-cold syndrome because it can easily impair spleen and stomach. It is contraindicated in case of loose stool due to spleen deficiency. |
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Dan Dou Chi
| 9g | | (dry fried)
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Pinyin: Dan Dou Chi
Chinese: 淡豆豉
Pharmaceutical: Semen Sojae Preparatum
English: Fermented Soybean
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Tastes: Pungent, bitter and cool
Meridians Entered: Lung and Stomach
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Actions & Indications:
- Releases the Exterior
Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat
Yin Deficiency with superimposed Exterior disorders
- Eliminates irritability, harmonizes the Middle Jiao and relieves stuffy sensations in the chest
Irritability, restlessness, insomnia, stifling sensations in the chest and insomnia following a febrile disease
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Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.
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Shi Chang Pu
| 3g | |
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Pinyin: Shi Chang Pu
Chinese: 石菖蒲
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Acori tatarinowii seu graminei
Taxonomy: Acorus tatarinowii seu gramineus
English: Grass-leaf Sweet Flag Rhizome
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Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Heart, Spleen and Stomach
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Actions & Indications:
- Opens the Orifices, vaporizes Phlegm, removes filth, calms the Spirit and disperses Wind
Phlegm-Dampness Veiling and Blocking the Sensory Orifices with deafness, dizziness, forgetfulness, dulled senses, and seizures or stupor
Wind-Phlegm with seizures or stupor
- Transforms turbid Dampness, harmonizes the Middle Jiao, awakens the Spleen and promotes the movement of Qi
Dampness Distressing the Spleen and Stomach with chest and epigastric fullness and abdominal fullness and pain due to Dampness and Turbidity Obstructing the Middle Jiao
- Promotes Blood flow, reduces swelling and alleviates Wind-Damp Bi and sores (internally and topically)
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Sores (internally and topically)
Trauma
- Benefits the throat
Hoarse voice due to laryngitis or inflammation of the vocal cords
- Kills Parasites and expels Demons
Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
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Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Avoid high doses for long periods due to β-asarone content (see below). |
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Zhi Ban Xia
| 3g | |
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Pinyin: Ban Xia
Chinese: 半夏
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Pinelliae
Taxonomy: Pinellia ternata
English: Pinellia Rhizome
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Tastes: Pungent, warm, toxic
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen and Stomach
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Actions & Indications:
- Dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs (cough with copious sputum)
Especially effective for Damp-Phlegm of the Spleen (Cold-Damp Stagnation)
- Descends Rebellious Qi and stops vomiting (harmonizes the Stomach)
Vomiting due to Phlegm-Damp in the Stomach (Tan Yin), Cold thin mucus, Stomach Deficiency, Stomach Heat or pregnancy
- Dissipates nodules and reduces Stagnation (clumps)
Phlegm in the chest (nodules, pressure, distention, pain)
Phlegm nodules in the neck (goiter, scrofula)
Focal distension in the chest and epigastrium
Obstruction caused by Phlegm anywhere in the body
- Treats sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles and reduces swelling (external)
Topically as a powder for sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Contraindicated to Wu Tou. Use with cautions during gestation.
Must be processed before use as raw Ban Xia is toxic. Ingesting the raw form can cause severe irritation of the mouth, pharynx, and gastrointestinal tracts, and has toxic effects on the nervous system. Symptoms of toxicity include a dry mouth, numbness of the tongue, gastric discomfort, burning sensations and swelling of the mouth, tongue, throat and salivation. In serious cases ingesting Ban Xia can result in hoarseness, spasms, dyspnoea and asphyxia. |
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Lu Gen
| 60g | | |
Pinyin: Lu Gen
Chinese: 芦根
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Phragmitis
English: Reed Rhizome
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Tastes: Sweet and cold
Meridians Entered: Lung and Stomach
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Actions & Indications:
- Clears Heat and irritability from the Lungs and Stomach and generates fluids
Internal Heat patterns with high fever, irritability and thirst, dry mouth and throat.
Lung Heat (especially when acute) , Lung carbuncle, Lung abscess
- Clears Stomach Heat, regulates Stomach Qi, relieves thirst and stops vomiting
Stomach Heat (especially when accompanied by rebellious Qi)
- Clears Heat and promotes urination
Dark, scanty urine and hematuria especially when accompanied by irritability and thirst
- Vents rashes
Wind-Heat rashes that are not completely expressed
- Relieves food poisoning
Relieves food poisoning due to ingestion of fish and crabs
Alcohol poisoning
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Standard Dosage: 15-30g in decoction.
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