Pinyin: Chai Hu  Chinese: 柴胡
Pharmaceutical: Radix Bupleuri
Taxonomy: Bupleurum chinense (Nan Chai Hu) seu scorzoneraefolium (Bei Chai Hu)
English: Hare's Ear Root / Thorowax Root

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Liver and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Resolves Shaoyang disorders and reduces fever (harmonizes the Exterior and Interior)
   Shaoyang Stage with alternating chills and fever, a bitter taste,dizziness, tinnitus, flank pain, irritability, vomiting and a stifling sensation in the chest
   Deficiency Heat (auxiliary)
   Gallbladder Fire
   The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing says "It weeds out the stale to bring forth the new."
2. Spreads Liver Qi and relieves Stagnation
   Liver Qi Stagnation with dizziness, vertigo, chest and flank pain, emotional instability and menstrual problems
   Disharmony between the Liver and Spleen with epigastric and flank pain, a stifling sensation in the chest, abdominal bloating, nausea and indigestion
   Liver/Gallbladder Disharmony
   The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing says "It mainly treats bound qi in the heart, abdomen, intestines, and stomach, food stagnation, cold and heat, and evil qi."
3. Raises Yang Qi (specifically the Clear Qi of the Stomach and Gallbladder)
   Spleen and Stomach Yang Deficiency, Qi collapse (prolapse) with hemorrhoids, vaginal discharge, bleeding or exhaustion
4. Disperses Wind-Heat and resolves Phlegm and congestion
   Wind-Heat
5. Guides herbs to the Shaoyang aspects of the head
   Shaoyang headaches
6. Releases the Exterior and Drives Out Snakes
   Relieves the symptoms of Gu Sydnrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
7. 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, brighten the eyes and boost the Essence. 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: Up to 3g to raise sinking Qi, 6-9g to relieve Liver Qi stagnation, 12-24g to release the exterior.
Cautions: Anyone who has syndromes of yin deficiency with yang hyperactivity, stirring of liver wind, yin deficiency with effulgent fire and qi going upward adversely, this herb should be used with cautions.

Pinyin: Huang Qin  Chinese: 黄芩
Pharmaceutical: Radix Scutellariae baicalensis
Taxonomy: Scutellaria baicalensis
English: Baical Skullcap Root

Tastes: Bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Stomach, Gallbladder, Large Intestine and Bladder

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat and dries Dampness
   Damp-Heat in the Stomach or Intestines with diarrhoea or dysenteric disorder
   Damp-Warmth with fever, a stifling sensation in the chest and thirst with no desire to drink
   Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao with painful urinary dysfunction
   Damp-Heat jaundice (auxiliary), infectious hepatitis
2. Drains Fire and detoxifies
   Heat and Fire especially in the Upper Jiao (Lung) with high fever, irritability, thirst, cough and expectoration of thick, yellow sputum
   Upper respiratory tract infection
   Hot sores and swellings (topical or internal)
3. Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
   Xue Stage Heat or Blood Heat causing bleeding with epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematemesis and hemafecia
4. Clears Heat and calms the fetus
   Fetal restlessness due to Heat
5. Calms ascending Liver Yang
   Liver Yang Rising with headache, irritability, red eyes, flushed face and bitter taste
   Hypertension (high blood pressure)
   Gallbladder Heat

Standard Dosage: 5-15g in decoction.

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: 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: Chen Pi  Chinese: 陈皮
Pharmaceutical: Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae
Taxonomy: Citrus spp.
English: Aged Tangerine Peel

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Regulates Qi, adjusts the Middle and relieves the diaphragm
   Spleen/Stomach Qi Stagnation with epigastric or abdominal distention, fullness, bloating, belching, nausea and vomiting
2. Dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
   Phlegm-Damp Obstructs the Lung with coughing, a stifling sensation in the chest and/or diaphragm and copious, viscous sputum
   Turbid Damp Obstructs the Middle with a stifling sensation in the chest, abdominal distention, anorexia, fatigue, loose stools and a thick, greasy tongue coat
3. Helps prevent Stagnation from tonic herbs
   Tonic herbs causing Stagnation
4. Descends Qi
   Qi Rebellion
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, remove foul breath, precipitate the Qi, and enable one to communicate with spirits. 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. Suppresses Gu Parasites
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Cang Zhu  Chinese: 蒼朮
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Atractylodes
Taxonomy: Atractylodes lancea seu chinensis seu japonica
English: Black Atractylodes / Gray Atractylodes / Sword-like Atractylodes root

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Lung and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Strongly dries Dampness and tonifies the Spleen
   Dampness Obstructing the Middle Jiao and blocking transformative and transportive functions of the Spleen with anorexia, diarrhoea, epigastric distention and pressure, fatigue, nausea and vomiting and a thick, greasy tongue coat
2. Induces sweating and expels Wind-Dampness
   Wind-Cold Dampness and Wind-Dampness with chills and fever, headache, body aches and nasal congestion
   Painful extremities due to Wind-Damp Bi
3. Clears Dampness from the Lower Jiao
   Damp-Heat Pouring Downward with Leg Qi, some forms of atrophy disorders, vaginal discharge, swollen, sore joints
4. Improves vision
   Night blindness and diminished vision with a rough sensation in the eyes
5. Repels Ghosts
   "Strange diseases 奇病" that involve seeing ghosts
6. 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: 5-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Hou Po  Chinese: 厚朴
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Magnoliae
Taxonomy: Magnolia officinalis
English: Magnolia Bark

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Lung and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Promotes the movement of Qi in the Middle Jiao and resolves Stagnation
   Abdominal, epigastric, and/or chest fullness, bloating, loss of appetite, poor digestion, constipation
   Plum Pit Qi, a feeling of a lump in throat, usually considered psychosomatic today (globus hystericus). Hou Po has modern indications as neuroprotective and also features in formulas like Da/Xiao Cheng Qi Tang which deal with neuropsychiatric symptoms like delirium.
2. Promotes the movement of Qi downward, dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
   Dampness or Phlegm Obstructing the Middle Jiao with distention, fullness, nausea and diarrhoea
3. Descends Rebellious Qi, reduces Phlegm and calms wheezing
   Cough and wheezing due to Phlegm congesting the Lungs
4. Expels Wind, scatters Cold and regulates the Blood
   The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing places in the middle class of woods and says "It mainly treats Wind-stroke, Cold damage, headache, Cold and Heat, fright qi, blood Bi and dead muscles."
5. Removes the Three Worms
   The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing also says 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: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for the syndrome of qi deficiency and fluid consumption, and in pregnant women. Due to some of the anticoagulant effects of its constituents it should be used with caution in conjunction with blood thinners.

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.