Pinyin: Huang Qi  Chinese: 黄芪
Pharmaceutical: Radix Astragali
Taxonomy: Astragalus membranaceus
English: Astragalus Root / Mongolian Milkvetch Root

Tastes: Sweet, warm
Meridians Entered: Lung and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies Qi and Blood
   Postpartum fever due to Qi and Blood Deficiency
   Recovery from severe Blood loss
2. Strengthens the Spleen and raises the Yang Qi of the Spleen and Stomach
   Spleen Qi Deficiency with anorexia, fatigue and diarrhoea
   Central Qi Sinking (prolapse)
   Lung and Spleen Qi Deficiency
   Qi Failing to contain Blood
   Qi and Blood Deficiency
   Fever from Qi Deficiency
3. Tonifies Wei Qi, stabilizes the Exterior and tonifies the Lungs (aids circulation of moisture downward from the face)
   Wei Qi Deficiency with spontaneous sweating
   Lung Qi Deficiency with frequent colds or shortness of breath
   Excessive sweating associated with Qi, Yang or Yin Deficiency
   Dampness in the head
4. Promotes urination and reduces oedema
   Spleen Deficiency oedema or superficial oedema with reduced urination (It can be used as a stand-alone herb for this)
5. Promotes the discharge of pus, generates flesh and expels toxins
   Chronic ulcerations and sores that either have trouble forming pus or have formed pus but are not draining well
6. Generates Body Fluids
   Wasting and thirsting disorder (消渴 Xiao Ke)
   Bi Syndrome with numbness of the limbs and paralysis
7. Relieves numbness and pain
   Numbness and pain due to Deficiency of Qi and Blood
8. Tonifies the Qi while suppressing Parasites
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction. Large dosages of up to 30g can be used for severe debilitation, Blood deficiency or unhealing sores (e.g. Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang).
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of exterior excess with excessive pathogen, internal obstruction, yin deficiency with yang hyperactivity, early stage of sores and ulcers of excessive pathogen and no deficiency of heathy qi, because it can tonify qi, raise yang and strengthen superficial.Caution with patients on immunosuppressents due to its immune modulating effects.

Pinyin: Ren Shen  Chinese: 人參
Pharmaceutical: Radix Panax ginseng
Taxonomy: Panax ginseng
English: Ginseng Root

Tastes: Sweet, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Lung and Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Powerfully tonifies Yuan Qi
   Extreme collapse of Qi or abandoned conditions that manifest in shallow breathing, shortness of breath, cold limbs, profuse sweating and an almost imperceptible pulse (after blood loss, overly profuse sweating or other problems related to severe fluid loss - it can be used alone in these emergencies)
   Collapse of Yang
   Collapse of Yin
2. Tonifies Spleen and Stomach Qi
   Lethargy, anorexia, chest and abdominal distention, chronic diarrhoea and, in severe cases, prolapse of the Stomach, uterus or rectum
3. Tonifies Lung Qi
   Lung Qi Deficiency with wheezing, shortness of breath and labored breathing on exertion
4. Generates Body Fluids and stops thirst
   Wasting and thirsting disorder (消渴 Xiao Ke) and high fevers with profuse sweating which injures Qi and fluids
5. Tonifies Heart Qi and calms the Spirit
   Heart Qi and Blood Deficiency with palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, forgetfulness and restlessness
6. Treats impotence
   With Kidney Yang tonics for impotence
7. Tonifies Qi in Deficiency patients with Exterior conditions
   Exterior disorder with Interior Deficiency
8. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light and prolong life. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).

Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction, 10-30g for exhaustion syndrome due to Qi deficiency.
Cautions: Antagonizing to Li Lu; the warm nature of sun-dried raw Ren Shen is weaker than that of Hong Shen.

Pinyin: Gan Cao  Chinese: 甘草
Pharmaceutical: Radix Glycyrrhizae
Taxonomy: Glycyrrhiza uralensis seu glabra seu inflata
English: Liquorice Root

Tastes: Sweet, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Lung and Spleen (and all 12 meridians)

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi
   Spleen Qi Deficiency with shortness of breath, lassitude and loose stools
   Qi and Blood Deficiency with an irregular pulse and/or palpitations
   Heart Qi Deficiency or Heart Yang Deficiency
2. Moistens the Lungs, resolves Phlegm and stops coughing
   Lung Heat or Cold
   Productive or non-productive coughing
3. Moderates spasms and alleviates pain
   Painful muscle spasms of the abdomen and legs
4. Clears Heat and relieves Fire Toxicity
   Raw for Toxic Heat with sore throat or carbuncles and sores (Chuang Yung)
5. Antidote for many toxic substances (internal and topical)
   Poisoning
   Bites (after washing the wound, chew Gan Cao and apply a thick layer on the bite wound, changing whenever it dries out; Bao Xiang-Ao, 1846, New Compilation of Proven Formulas)
6. Moderates and harmonizes the harsh properties of other herbs and guides the herbs to all twelve channels
   Often added in small doses to harmonise formulas
7. Tonifies the Qi while suppressing Parasites
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
8. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light and prolong life. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).

Standard Dosage: Typically 1.5-9g in decoction. Large doses can be up 30g.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for combining with Hai Zao, Da Ji, Gan Sui and Yuan Hua because of "eighteen antagonisms". It is also contraindicated in cases of dampness obstruction in middle energizer and edema because it can help dampness obstruct qi, and it is prohibited from long-term usage in large dosage (more than 20g/day) and should be avoided or used with extreme caution in patients with high blood pressure because it may raise aldosterone levels in the blood causing retention of sodium.

The NHS recommends avoiding during pregnancy.

Pinyin: Sheng Ma  Chinese: 升麻
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Actaeae
Taxonomy: Actaea cimicifuga, A. heracleifolia (Da San Ye Sheng Ma), A. dahurica (Xin Gan Sheng Ma), A. simplex (Ye Sheng Ma)
English: Chinese Cohosh

Tastes: Pungent, slightly bitter, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen, Stomach and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Releases the Exterior and vents measles
   Headache due to Wind-Heat Early stages of measles
2. Clears Heat and relieves toxicity
   Fire toxins in the upper or superficial aspects of the body with sore teeth, swollen or painful gums, ulcerated lips or gums, canker sores, painful and swollen throat, sores or maculae from Warm-Heat pathogen diseases
3. Raises Yang and lifts sunken Qi
   Central Qi Sinking or Middle Qi Deficiency with shortness of breath, fatigue and prolapse
   Dai channel spasms
   Guides other herbs upwards
4. Kills Gu Parasites and Scatters Toxins by Releasing the Exterior
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 1998; 2015)
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, prevent premature death, make the body light and prolong life. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: The patients whose measles have come out or have yin deficiency and heat excess, or yin deficiency and yang going upward adversely are forbidden to use this herb.

Pinyin: Ge Gen  Chinese: 葛根
Pharmaceutical: Radix Puerariae
Taxonomy: Pueraria lobata
English: Kudzu Vine Root

Tastes: Sweet, pungent, cool
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Discharges Exterior conditions and releases the muscles, especially of the neck and upper back
   Wind-Heat or Wind-Cold lodged in the muscles of the upper back and neck
2. Relieves Heat and generates fluids (relieves thirst)
   Thirst due to Stomach Heat or Wind-Heat or Wasting and Thirsting
3. Vents and discharges measles
   Measles with incomplete expression of the rash
4. Raises Spleen Yang and stops diarrhoea
   Diarrhoea or dysentery due to Heat
   Diarrhoea due to Spleen Deficiency (with appropriate herbs)
5. Lowers blood pressure
   Hypertension symptoms such as headache, dizziness, tinnitus or paresthesia

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Man Jing Zi  Chinese: 蔓荆子
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Viticis
Taxonomy: Vitex trifolia
English: Vitex Fruit / Chastetree Fruit

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Bladder, Liver and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Disperses Wind and clears Heat
   Wind-Heat with headache or eye pain
2. Dispels Wind-Heat in the Liver channel and clears and benefits the head and eyes
   Liver Channel Wind-Heat with excessive tearing, red, painful or swollen eyes or spots in front of the eyes
   Liver Yang Rising
3. Drains Dampness, expels Wind and relieves pain
   Wind-Dampness in the limbs (auxiliary) with stiffness, numbness, cramping or heaviness
4. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light and slow ageing. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).

Standard Dosage: 6-12g in decoction.

Pinyin: Shao Yao  Chinese: 芍药
Pharmaceutical: Radix Paeoniae
Taxonomy: Paeoniea lactiflora
English: Peony Root

Tastes: Bitter, sour, sweet, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Nourishes the Blood and regulates menstruation
   Liver Blood Deficiency with menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge and uterine bleeding accompanied by a pale face, a lusterless complexion and dull, lusterless nails
   Anemia
   Breast distention and premenstrual syndrome
2. Astringes Yin and adjusts the Ying and Wei
   Yin Deficiency sweating
   Sweating due to Yin Collapse
   Disharmony between the Liver and Spleen Disharmony between the Ying and Wei with non-productive sweating
3. Calms Liver Yang and Liver Wind and alleviates pain
   Liver Qi Stagnation with Liver Yang Rising
   Liver Wind with Yin and Blood Deficiency
   Bi syndrome due to Blood Deficiency with pain and spasms
4. Softens the Liver and relieves pain
   Diarrhoea, borborygmus and abdominal pain
   Dysenteric disorders with tenesmus
5. Expels Gu Parasites
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.

Pinyin: Huang Bai  Chinese: 黄柏
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Phellodendri
Taxonomy: Phellodendron amurense seu chinense
English: Amur Corktree Bark

Tastes: Bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Liver, Gallbladder, Large Intestine, Kidney and Bladder

Actions & Indications:

1. Drains Damp-Heat especially from the Lower Jiao
   Thick, yellow vaginal discharge, foul smelling diarrhoea or dysenteric disorder
   Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao
   Hot Leg Qi with red, swollen, painful knees, legs or feet
   Damp-Heat jaundice
2. Drains Kidney Fire (False Heat, Deficiency Heat)
   Kidney Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire Rising (steaming bone disorder, night sweats, afternoon fevers and sweating, occasionally with nocturnal emissions and spermatorrhea)
3. Drains Fire and relieves Fire toxicity
   Toxic sores and Damp-skin lesions (internally and topically)

Standard Dosage: 6-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for deficiency-cold syndrome. Overdosage and long-time taking will impair spleen and stomach.