Dang Shen
| 15g | |
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Pinyin: Dang Shen
Chinese: 党參
Pharmaceutical: Radix Codonopsis
Taxonomy: Codonopsis pilosula
English: Pilose Asiabell Root / Bonnet Bellflower Root / Poor Man's Ginseng / Bastard Ginseng
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Tastes: Sweet, neutral
Meridians Entered: Lung and Spleen
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Actions & Indications:
- Tonifies the Middle Jiao and augments Qi
Any chronic illness due to Spleen Qi Deficiency with anorexia, fatigue, tired limbs, diarrhoea and vomiting
- Tonifies the Lungs
Lung Qi Deficiency with chronic coughing and shortness of breath
Copious sputum due to Spleen Qi Deficiency
- Restores the constitution and assists herbs that release the exterior or drain downward when there is significant Qi Deficiency
Supports the normal while other herbs expel pathogenic influences
- Nourishes the Blood and promotes the generation of Body Fluids
Deficiency of Qi, Blood and Body Fluids especially due to chronic illness
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Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.
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Shu Di Huang
| 15g | |
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Pinyin: Shu Di Huang
Chinese: 熟地黄
Pharmaceutical: Radix Rehmanniae Preparata
Taxonomy: Rehmannia glutinosa
English: Prepared Chinese Foxglove Root
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Tastes: Sweet, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Kidney and Liver
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Actions & Indications:
- Nourishes the Blood
Blood Deficiency with facial pallor, dizziness, palpitations, insomnia, irregular menstruation, uterine bleeding and postpartum bleeding
- Nourishes Liver and Kidney Yin
Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency with a weak low back and limbs, dizziness, tinnitus, tidal fevers, night sweats and nocturnal emissions
- Strongly enriches Yin and relieves wasting and thirsting disorder
Lower Jiao wasting (it can be used as a stand-alone herb for this)
- Nourishes Jing and Blood and fills the Marrow
Exhausted Jing and Blood problems such as delayed development during childhood, blunted affect, premature aging, diminished mental acuity, graying of hair, impotence and memory loss
- Arrests coughing and wheezing
Kidney Deficient coughing, wheezing and asthma, such as inability of the Kidneys to grasp Qi
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Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for spleen and stomach deficiency, loose stool due to fullness in abdomen and qi stagnation with excessive phlegm because it is greasy and will produce indigestion. |
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Gou Qi Zi
| 15g | |
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Pinyin: Gou Qi Zi
Chinese: 枸杞子
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Lycii
Taxonomy: Lycium barbarum seu chinense
English: Goji Berries / Wolfberries / Boxthorn Berries
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Tastes: Sweet, neutral
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- Nourishes and tonifies Liver and Kidney Blood and Yin
Blood and Yin Deficiency with sore back and legs, low-grade abdominal pain, impotence, nocturnal emissions, wasting and thirsting disorder and consumption
Liver and Kidney Deficiency
Added to baths during spring to promote skin health and delay aging
- Benefits Jing and brightens the eyes
Liver and Kidney Deficiency where Jing and Blood cannot nourish eyes with dizziness, blurred vision and diminished visual acuity
- Nourishes Yin and moistens the Lungs
Consumptive cough and wasting and thirsting disorder
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Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.
Cautions: In vitro testing suggests that unidentified wolfberry phytochemicals in goji tea may inhibit metabolism of other medications, such as those processed by the cytochrome P450 liver enzymes. Such drugs include warfarin, or drugs for diabetes or hypertension. However, no in vivo statistics support this. |
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Sha Yuan Zi
| 10g | |
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Pinyin: Sha Yuan Zi
Chinese: 沙苑子
Pharmaceutical: Semen Astragali Complanati
English: Flattened Milkvetch Seed
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Tastes: Sweet, astringent, warm
Meridians Entered: Kidney and Liver
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Actions & Indications:
- Tonifies Kidney Yang and astringes Jing
Kidney Yang Deficiency with lower back pain, tinnitus, impotence, premature ejaculation, urinary frequency or incontinence and vaginal discharge
- Nourishes Liver Blood and improves vision
Diminished visual acuity or blurred vision from Liver Blood Deficiency
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Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.
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Yin Yang Huo
| 10g | |
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Pinyin: Yin Yang Huo / Xian Ling Pi
Chinese: 淫羊藿 / 仙靈脾
Pharmaceutical: Herba Epimedii
Taxonomy: Epimedium brevicornum, sagittatum, pubescens seu koreanum
English: Horny Goat Weed / Barrenwort / Bishop's Hat / Fairy's Wings
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Tastes: Sweet, pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Kidney and Liver
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Actions & Indications:
- Tonifies the Kidneys, strengthens Yang and increases the libido
Kidney Yang Deficiency with impotence, infertility, urinary frequency, forgetfulness, withdrawal and painful, Cold lower back and knees
- Dispels Wind-Cold-Dampness and warms and unblocks the flow of Yang Qi (strengthens the sinews and bones)
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi with spasms, or cramps in the hands and feet, joint pain and numbness in the extremities Contractures, numbness or hemiplegia following Wind-Stroke
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Standard Dosage: 5-15g in decoction.
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Ding Xiang
| 10g | |
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Pinyin: Ding Xiang
Chinese: 丁香
Pharmaceutical: Flos Caryophylli
Taxonomy: Caryophyllus aromaticus / Syzygium aromaticum
English: Clove
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Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Lung and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- Warms the Middle Jiao, relieves pain and descends Qi
Stomach Cold with vomiting, hiccup, abdominal pain and diarrhoea
Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold with anorexia, vomiting and diarrhoea
Bad breath (chew whole clove), toothache (apply oil to gum)
- Warms the Kidneys and assists Yang
Impotence or clear vaginal discharge from Cold in the Womb (usually accompanied by weak legs) due to Kidney Yang Deficiency
- Kills Parasites and expels Demons
Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
Can also be used as an insect repellent.
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Standard Dosage: 1-3g in decoction.
Cautions: It is incompatible with Yu Jin (nineteen incompatibilities). It should be used with cautions for heat syndrome and yin deficiency with interior heat. |
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Yuan Zhi
| 4g | |
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Pinyin: Yuan Zhi
Chinese: 遠志
Pharmaceutical: Radix Polygalae
Taxonomy: Polygala tenuifolia
English: Chinese Senega / Thin-Leaf Milkwort
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Tastes: Bitter, pungent, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Liver, Kidney and Lung
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Actions & Indications:
- Calms the Spirit, sedates the Heart and clears the channel joining the Heart and Kidney
Insomnia, palpitations with anxiety, restlessness, and disorientation.
Most effective for excessive brooding or pent-up emotions
Lack of communication between the Heart and Kidneys
- Expels Phlegm, opens the Orifices, clears the Lungs and stops coughing
Phlegm Blocking the Heart Orifices with emotions and mental disorientation, spasms or seizures
Phlegm Obstructing the Lungs with copious sputum, especially when it is difficult to expectorate
Angina pectoris
- Reduces abscesses and dissipates swellings
Boils, abscesses, sores, and swollen, painful breasts (powdered and applied topically or taken with wine)
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Standard Dosage: 3-9g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for excess fire or phlegm-heat because of its warm nature. It should be used with cautions for gastritis and duodenal ulcer because it will stimulate the stomach and intestine. Unprepared will irritate the stomach mucosa causing nausea and vomiting so is usually prepared with Gan Cao (Zhi Yuan Zhi) or honey (Mi Zhi Yuan Zhi) |
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Chen Xiang
| 4g | |
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Pinyin: Chen Xiang
Chinese: 沉香
Pharmaceutical: Lignum Aquilariae Resinatum
English: Aquilaria Wood / Aloeswood / Eaglewood
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Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- Promotes movement of Qi and alleviates pain
Qi Stagnation, with distention, pain or a feeling of pressure in the epigastric or abdominal region Especially useful for Deficiency Cold or Blood Stagnation
- Descends Qi, regulates the Middle, dispels Cold, warms the Spleen and Stomach and stops vomiting
Rebellious Qi wheezing from either Excess or Deficiency Vomiting, belching or hiccup due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold
- Warms the Kidneys and aids the Kidneys in grasping Qi
Asthma and wheezing due to Kidneys Unable to Grasp Qi
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Standard Dosage: 1-3g in decoction.
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Li Zhi He
| 7pc | |
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Pinyin: Li Zhi He
Chinese: 荔枝核
Pharmaceutical: Semen Litchi
English: Lychee Seed
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Tastes: Pungent, slightly bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Liver and Stomach
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Actions & Indications:
- Disperses Cold and Stagnation and stops pain
Cold in the Liver Channel with bulging disorders with pain in the groin or testicles
Heat in the Liver Channel (with appropriate herbs)
- Regulates Qi and stops pain
Liver Qi Stagnation with abdominal and epigastric pain
Qi and Blood Stagnation with abdominal, premenstrual or postpartum pain
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Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction.
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Bai Jiu
| 1.3L | | |
Pinyin: Jiu
Chinese: 酒
Pharmaceutical: Alcohol
English: Rice Wine
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Tastes: Hot
Meridians Entered: Reaches every part of the body
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Actions & Indications:
- Nourishes and moves Blood and Qi, opens the Meridians
Taken internally or applied topically as the medium for liniments in Blood stasis, especially from trauma or Bi syndromes in the elderly
- Warms Yang and Expels Cold
All Cold syndromes including Cold Bi, Interior Cold and Yang deficiency
Often serves as the basis for longevity "elixirs" by soaking Yang tonifying herbs
- Strengthens the Shen, dispels sorrow and promotes happiness
Temporary low mood, celebration
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Standard Dosage: 10-60ml, two to three times per day. Often combined with other herbs to bring out their Blood moving or warming aspects by washing them, or adding to a decoction, or soaking herbs in alcohol to make medicinal wines.
Cautions: Caution with Damp-Heat syndromes or long term consumption in the young and middle aged.
The Materia Dietetica (Shiwu Bencao 食物本草) by Lu He 卢和 from the Ming Dynasty says that excess drinking can hurt the spirit and consume blood, damage the stomach and deplete the body fluid, produce phlegm and induce fire. |
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