Pinyin: Bai Zi Ren  Chinese: 柏子仁
Pharmaceutical: Semen Platycladi
English: Arborvitae Seed / Biota Seed

Tastes: Sweet, neutral
Meridians Entered: Liver and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Nourishes the Heart and calms the Spirit
   Heart Blood and Yin Deficiency with palpitations and anxiety
   Night terrors in children (can be used alone)
2. Moistens the Intestines and unblocks the bowels
   Constipation in the elderly, debilitated or postpartum women due to Blood and Yin Deficiency
3. Astringes Yin Deficiency sweat
   Night sweats due to Yin Deficiency

Standard Dosage: 10-20g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for patients with loose stool or profuse phlegm.

Pinyin: Ban Xia  Chinese: 半夏
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Pinelliae
Taxonomy: Pinellia ternata
English: Pinellia Rhizome

Tastes: Pungent, warm, toxic
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. 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)
2. 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
3. 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
4. Treats sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles and reduces swelling (external)
   Topically as a powder for sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles

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.

Processing can be done with ginger and alum (Jiang Ban Xia) to make a warming herb best suited for Cold-Damp and thin Phlegm conditions, or with liquorice (Fa Ban Xia) to make a more neutral herb that is less drying and can be used for Damp-Heat conditions too.

Pinyin: Mu Li  Chinese: 牡蛎
Pharmaceutical: Concha Ostreae
English: Oyster Shell

Tastes: Salty, astringent, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Heavily settles and calms the Spirit
   Agitated Heart and Spirit with palpitations with anxiety, restlessness and insomnia
2. Calms the Liver, benefits Yin and anchors Floating Yang
   Liver Yin Deficiency with Liver Yang Rising or Yin Deficiency with internal Heat with restlessness, irritability, palpitations and spontaneous sweating
3. Prevents leakage of fluids
   Continuous sweat after febrile disease or in patients with steaming bone disorder
   Loss of fluids due to Deficiency with night sweats, spontaneous sweating, nocturnal emissions, spermatorrhea or vaginal discharge and uterine bleeding
4. Softens hardness and dissipates nodules
   Various kinds of lumps particularly neck lumps such as goiter or scrofula
5. Absorbs acidity and alleviates pain (calcined)
   Excessive Stomach pain with a sour taste in the mouth
6. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of animal parts which can, with protracted taking, fortify the bones and joints (骨节 Gu Jie), kill evil ghosts (邪鬼 Xie Gui), 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: 15-30g in decoction.
Cautions: The high mineral content of this medication may prevent the oral absorption of the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics.

Caution should also be taken due to the possibility of heavy metal absorption from the oysters' environment. If decocting it is advisable to leave the dregs at the bottom as heavy metal particles will naturally sink. It is still probably advisable to avoid for long term use unless the source is known to be clean.

Animal products are prohibited from use in the UK under the Medicines Act 1968 ch. 67 which restricts herbalists to the use of plant products only. It is generally substituted with Xuan Shen, Bai Shao and Wu Wei Zi or Tian Ma.

If viewed from a western perspective as a source of calcium which may cause sleep disturbances, then supplementation or inclusion of high calcium/magnesium content herbs (e.g. Kun Bu which is also salty and softens nodulation) could be considered, especially if other signs such as oesteoporosis or muscle cramps are present and the risk of side effects from calcium/magnesium supplements are low (stones, calcified arteries, GI issues). However, this assumes a mechanism which does not match many of the traditional patterns for which it is prescribed.

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: Ma Huang Gen  Chinese: 麻黄根
Pharmaceutical: Radix Ephedrae
English: Ephedra Root

Tastes: Sweet, slightly astringent, neutral
Meridians Entered: Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Stops sweat due to Deficiency
   Sweating due to Qi Deficiency Nightsweats due to Yin Deficiency Postpartum sweating

Standard Dosage: 3-9g in decoction.

Pinyin: Bai Zhu  Chinese: 白朮
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Atractylodes macrocephalae
Taxonomy: Atractylodes macrocephala
English: Largehead Atracylodes Rhizome

Tastes: Sweet, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi
   Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with diarrhoea, fatigue, a sallow complexion and lack of appetite
   Spleen Yang failure to rise
2. Dries Dampness and promotes water metabolism
   Spleen Damp or accumulation of fluids affecting the digestion
   Edema and reduced urination due to Spleen Deficiency (failure to transform and transport)
   Tan Yin, masses, swelling
   Auxiliary for Damp painful obstruction
3. Stabilizes the Exterior and stops sweating
   Qi Deficiency with spontaneous sweating (Wei Qi Deficiency)
   With appropriate herbs, other types of sweating
4. Calms the fetus
   Restless fetus disorder due to Spleen Qi Deficiency
   With appropriate herbs, other types of Restless Fetus Disorder
5. 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, prolong life and make one free from hunger. 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.
Cautions: Use with cautions in cases of yin deficiency with fluid injury by dryness-heat pathogen.

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 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: Fu Xiao Mai  Chinese: 浮小麦
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Tritici levis
Taxonomy: Triticum aestivum
English: Floating Wheat / Blighted Wheat / Unripe Wheat

Tastes: Sweet, slightly astringent, cool
Meridians Entered: Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Stops excessive sweating due to Deficiency
   Spontaneous sweating due to Qi Deficiency Night sweats due to Yin Deficiency Postpartum Deficiency sweat Steaming bones
2. Nourishes the Heart and calms the Spirit
   Heart Deficiency
   Visceral agitation (脏躁, Zang Zao), vexation, sadness
3. Stops bed wetting in children
   Bed wetting in children

Standard Dosage: 15-30g in decoction.