Pinyin: Rou Cong Rong  Chinese: 肉蓯蓉
Pharmaceutical: Herba Cistanches
Taxonomy: Cistanche tubulosa seu deserticola
English: Broomrape Stem, "Ginseng of the deserts"

Tastes: Sweet, salty, warm
Meridians Entered: Kidney and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Kidneys, strengthens Yang, benefits Jing and marrow and warms the Womb
   Kidney Yang Deficiency with impotence, spermatorrhea, urinary incontinence, post-urinary dripping and Cold pain in the lower back and knees
   Cold from Deficiency of the Womb with infertility, excessive uterine bleeding or vaginal discharge
2. Moistens the Intestines and facilitates the passage of stool
   Constipation due to dry Intestines from inadequate fluids in elderly or debilitated people or people with Deficient Qi or Blood (with a large dosage, it can be used as a stand-alone herb)
3. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light. 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: 6-21g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with effulgent fire, stagnation of excess heat, and loose stool because it can tonify yang and smooth stool.

Pinyin: Rou Dou Kou  Chinese: 肉豆蔻
Pharmaceutical: Semen Myristicae
Taxonomy: Myristica fragrans
English: Nutmeg

Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Astringes the Intestines and stops diarrhoea
   Chronic intractable diarrhoea or daybreak diarrhoea due to Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
2. Warms the Middle Jiao, regulates Qi and alleviates pain
   Pain, distention of the epigastrium and abdomen, reduced appetite and vomiting due to Deficiency Cold of the Spleen and Stomach
   Qi Stagnation

Standard Dosage: 3-9g in decoction, 0.5-1g powdered.

Pinyin: Shan Zhu Yu / Shan Yu Rou  Chinese: 山茱萸 / 山萸肉
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Corni
Taxonomy: Cornus officinalis
English: Dogwood Fruit

Tastes: Sour, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Stabilizes the Kidneys and astringes Jing and Body Fluids
   Leakage of fluids due to weak Jing with urinary frequency, incontinence, spermatorrhea and excessive sweating
2. Stops excessive sweating and supports that which has collapsed
   Collapse of Qi with excessive sweating and shock
   Devastated Yang with excessive sweating and shock
   Sweating mistakenly induced as a treatment
3. Tonifies Liver and Kidney Yin and strengthens Kidney Yang
   Lightheadedness, dizziness, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees or impotence due to Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency and Kidney Yang Deficiency
4. Stabilizes the menses and stops bleeding
   Excessive uterine bleeding and prolonged menstruation due to Deficiency (weak effect)
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light. 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).
6. Removes the Three Worms
   Said in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing that it removes the Three Worms. These may refer to difficult to treat metabolic disorders caused by overindulgence and should be accompanied by fasting, meditation and exercise regimes.

Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Zhu Sha  Chinese: 朱砂
Pharmaceutical: Cinnabaris
Taxonomy: HgS
English: Cinnabar / Vermilion / Mercury (II) Sulfide / 丹 Dan / 朱雀 Zhu Que (Red Raven)

Tastes: Sweet, cold, toxic
Meridians Entered: Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Sedates the Heart and calms the Spirit
   Restlessness, palpitations, anxiety, insomnia and convulsions associated with a disturbed Spirit
   Heart Fire (with appropriate herbs)
   Phlegm Fire Disturbs the Heart (with appropriate herbs)
   Heart Blood Deficiency (with appropriate herbs)
2. Expels Phlegm and sedates jitteriness and convulsions while stopping tremors
   Seizures, childhood convulsions and other problems due to Phlegm-Heat Blocking the Pericardium and Heart
   Wind-Phlegm dizziness
   Lung Heat
3. Clears Heat, relieves toxicity and prevents putrefaction
   Topically for carbuncles, mouth sores, sore throat and snakebite
4. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of minerals which can, with protracted taking, enable one to communicate with the spirit light (Shenming) and prevent senility. 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) and spiritual practice.

Standard Dosage: No dosage is permissible due to mercury toxicity. 0.1-0.5g in powder or pills is traditional.
Cautions: Prohibited from use today due to its mercury content, it is generally omitted or substituted with Hu Po. Historically it was sometimes confused with Xue Jie, so this could also make a potential substitute in the right circumstances.

Zhao, Li & Wang (2022) claim that grinding and washing was a traditional method of removing the toxicity but any amount of mercury toxicity is unacceptable today.

Traditional contraindications include overdose and taking for a long period of time, or calcinification.

Pinyin: Jiu  Chinese: 酒
Pharmaceutical: Alcohol
English: Rice Wine

Tastes: Hot, pungent, sweet, bitter, toxic
Meridians Entered: Stomach, Heart, Lung and Liver, but reaches every part of the body

Actions & Indications:

1. 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
2. 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
3. Strengthens the Shen, dispels sorrow and promotes happiness
   Temporary low mood, celebration

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.