Pinyin: Tu Si Zi  Chinese: 菟丝子
Pharmaceutical: Semen Cuscutae
English: Chinese Dodder Seeds

Tastes: Sweet, astringing, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Kidney, Spleen and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Strengthens Yang, nourishes Yin, astringes Jing and urine and benefits the marrow
   Kidney Yang Deficiency with impotence, nocturnal emissions, premature ejaculation, tinnitus, urinary frequency, sore painful back and vaginal discharge
2. Tonifies the Kidneys and Liver and improves vision
   Deficient Liver and Kidney Yin, Yang and Jing with dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision or spots before the eyes
3. Benefits the Kidneys and Spleen and stops (astringes) diarrhoea
   Diarrhoea, loose stools and anorexia from Spleen and Kidney Deficiency
4. Calms the fetus
   Habitual or threatened miscarriage
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, brighten the eyes, 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: 10-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with effulgent fire and difficult urination because of its warm property and tonifying and astringing actions.

Pinyin: Wu Wei Zi  Chinese: 五味子
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Schisandrae
Taxonomy: Schisandra chinensis
English: Schisandra Fruit / Chinese Magnolia-vine Fruit

Tastes: Sour, sweet, warm
Meridians Entered: Lung, Heart and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Astringes the leakage of Lung Qi and stops coughing
   Chronic cough and wheezing due to Lung Qi Deficiency
   Lung and Kidney Deficiency patterns
   The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing places it in the middle class of herbs and says it is indicated for "counterflow cough with ascent of Qi."
2. Tonifies the Kidneys, binds up Essence (astringes Jing) and stops diarrhoea and spermatorrhea
   Kidney Deficiency with nocturnal emissions, spermatorrhea, vaginal discharge and urinary frequency
   Spleen and Kidney Deficiency with daybreak diarrhoea
   In the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing it indicated for "strengthening Yin and boosting Jing Essence in men."
3. Astringes sweat and generates fluids
   Excessive sweating. especially when accompanied by thirst or a dry throat
   In combination, it is used for spontaneous sweating, night sweats and wasting and thirsting disorder
4. Quiets the Spirit and calms and contains Heart Qi
   Heart and Kidney Blood and Yin Deficiency, with irritability, palpitations, dream-disturbed sleep and insomnia
5. Tonifies Qi
   Heart and Spleen Qi Deficiency
   The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing says it is indicated for "boosting Qi ... taxation damage with gauntness [and] supplementing insufficiency."

Standard Dosage: 3-6g in decoction. 1-3g as powder.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of external pathogen existence, internal excess heat, acute cough, early stage of measles.

Pinyin: Shan Yao  Chinese: 山药
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Dioscoreae
Taxonomy: Dioscorea polystachya syn. batatas
English: Chinese Yam / Shu Yu

Tastes: Sweet, neutral
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Lung and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Spleen, nourishes Stomach Yin and stops diarrhoea
   Spleen or Stomach Deficiency with diarrhoea, fatigue, spontaneous sweating and anorexia
2. Tonifies Lung Qi and nourishes Lung Yin
   Lung Qi and/or Yin Deficiency with chronic cough
3. Tonifies Kidney Yin and astringes Jing
   Kidney Qi Deficiency with spermatorrhea, urinary frequency and vaginal discharge
   消渴 Xiao Ke due to Qi and Yin Deficiency
4. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, sharpen the ears and eyes, make the body light, make one free from hunger 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). Despite being a starchy vegetable, this may still have been an appropriate addition to a ketogenic diet as the starches are mostly resistant and many of its other compounds have been shown to have blood glucose reducing effects, making it a potential important source of this essential nutrient group while engaging in a low carbohydrate diet.

Standard Dosage: 5-30g in decoction. Very large doses, up to 500g have been used in trials for diabetes management.

Pinyin: Lian Zi  Chinese: 莲子
Pharmaceutical: Semen Nelumbinis
English: Lotus Seed

Tastes: Sweet, astringent, neutral
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Kidney and Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Spleen and astringes diarrhoea
   Spleen Deficiency with chronic diarrhoea and loss of appetite
2. Tonifies the Kidneys and astringes Jing
   Premature ejaculation and spermatorrhea due to unstable Deficient Kidneys
   Excessive uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge
3. Nourishes the Heart and calms the Spirit
   Palpitations with anxiety and irritability associated with Deficiency and insomnia
   Especially useful for Lack of Communication Between the Heart and Kidneys (Heart and Kidney Yin Deficiency)
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, slow ageing, make one free from hunger, 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: 10-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: Fu Ling  Chinese: 茯苓
Pharmaceutical: Poria
Taxonomy: Poria cocos syn. Wolfiporia extensa
English: China-Root / Hoelen / Tuckahoe / Indian Bread

Tastes: Sweet, bland, neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart, Spleen, and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Strengthens the Spleen and harmonizes the Middle Jiao
   Spleen Deficiency Dampness with anorexia, diarrhoea and epigastric distention
2. Strengthens the Spleen
   Phlegm Dampness due to Spleen Deficiency with thin mucus in which Phlegm moves upward manifesting as palpitations, headache, dizziness and a thick, greasy tongue coat
3. Promotes urination and leaches out Dampness
   Urinary difficulty, diarrhoea or oedema due to Stagnation of Fluids or Dampness
4. Quiets the Heart, calms the Spirit and soothes the nerves
   Palpitations, insomnia or forgetfulness due to either Spleen and Heart Insufficiency or Internal Obstruction of Turbid Phlegm
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, quiet the Hun, nourish the Shen, make one free from hunger 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: 9-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for spermatorrhea due to deficiency-cold.