Pinyin: Mao Dong Qing  Chinese: 毛冬青
Pharmaceutical: Radix Ilicis pubescentis
Taxonomy: Ilex pubescens
English: Wintergreen Root

Tastes: Bitter, astringent, cold
Meridians Entered: Heart and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood and unblocks the channels and collaterals
   Heart Blood Stasis with chest pain and stroke with hemiplegia
   heart Qi Stagnation
   Chest Bi
2. Clears Heat, resolves toxicity and stops cough
   Lung Heat cough
   Wind-Heat cough
   Swollen, painful throat
   Topically, as a powder for burns

Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.
Cautions: It is toxic so avoid taking for a long time or overdose.

Pinyin: Song Jie  Chinese: 松节
Pharmaceutical: Lignum Pini Nodi
Taxonomy: Pinus spp.
English: Knotty Pine Wood

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Dispels Wind, dries Dampness and stops pain
   Wind-Damp Bi with joint pain and soreness (primarily when Dampness or Cold predominate) Wind-Cold
   BiTraumatic injury
2. Strengthens tendons and muscles and opens the channels
   Wei Syndrome

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used cautiously in patients with yin deficiency and blood dryness.

Pinyin: Rou Gui  Chinese: 肉桂
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Cinnamomi
Taxonomy: Cinnamomum cassia
English: Cinnamon Bark

Tastes: Pungent, sweet, hot
Meridians Entered: Kidney, Spleen, Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Warms the Kidneys, Spleen and Heart and strengthens Yang and Ming Men Fire
   Kidney Yang Deficiency and Deficiency of Ming-Men Fire with aversion to Cold, cold limbs, weak back, impotence and urinary frequency
   Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency with abdominal pain and Cold, reduced appetite and diarrhoea
   Kidney Unable to Grasp Qi
   Heart Yang Deficiency, particularly with chest Bi
2. Disperses deep Cold, warms the channels, unblocks the channels and vessels and alleviates pain
   Deep Cold causing Qi Stagnation or Blood Stasis with Cold in the Blood causing amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea, Cold-Damp Bi, Yin-type boils (chronic sores that are usually concave and ooze a clear fluid) and sores or abscesses that do not heal
   It enters the Blood aspect and, in small amounts, enhances the Blood moving action of other substances
3. Leads the Fire back to its source
   Upward Floating of Deficient Yang (False Heat, True Cold or Heat Above and Cold Below) with flushed face, wheezing, severe sweating (the sweat pours out like oil), weak and cold lower extremities and a deficient and rootless pulse
   Any condition with Heat in the Upper body (dry mouth, sore throat, or teeth which is worse at night) and Cold in the Lower body (Lower back pain, cold lower extremities, diarrhoea and weakness in the proximal portion of the pulse)
4. Assists in the generation of Qi and Blood
   Chronic Qi and Blood Deficiency (auxiliary)
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, enable one to communicate with spirits, make the body light, and prevent forgetfulness. 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: 1-5g in decoction. It should be decocted later.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for syndrome of yin deficiency with fire effulgent, haemorrhage due to blood heat and pregnant women. It is incompatible with Chi Shi Zhi (nineteen incompatibilities).

Pinyin: Rou Gui Ye  Chinese: 肉桂葉
Pharmaceutical: Folium Cinnamomi
Taxonomy: Cinnamoum cassia
English: Cinnamon Leaf

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Warm the Spleen and Stomach and disperse cold
   
2. Abdominal pain with vomiting
   Choking sensation in chest due to Stomach Cold
   Abdominal pain with diarrhoea
3. Relieve Exterior syndromes and induce perspiration
   Exterior Wind-Cold
   Chilblains
   Cough

Standard Dosage: 4.5-9g in decoction, 10-30g if fresh.

Pinyin: Xiang Mao  Chinese: 香茅
Pharmaceutical: Herba Cymbopogon
English: Lemongrass / Citronella / Fevergrass

Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Lung, Heart, Stomach, Bladder

Actions & Indications:

1. Dispels Wind and frees the Collaterals
   Joint pain, headache, irregular menses, postpartum oedema
   Fever, colds and flu
   Externally for bruises and haematoma caused by impact injuries
   External use for ringworm
   Brazilian folklore uses this herb to calm the mind, treat muscular spasms, cramp and fatigue
   Recently used for high blood pressure
2. Warms the Centre, relieves pain and checks diarrhoea
   Stomach ache due to cold, digestive tract spasms and vomiting, weak digestion, diarrhoea
   Obesity to boost metabolism and burn fat
3. Topically as an insect repellent
   Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) is more effective than Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) but may be more irritating to the skin.

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.
Cautions: Over usage causes headache and uneasiness in stomach. It may irritate sensitive skin. Do not use on inflamed skin or eczema.

Pinyin: Xue Jie  Chinese: 血竭
Pharmaceutical: Sanguis Draconis
Taxonomy: Calamus draco seu rotang seu didymophyllus seu Dracaena draco seu cinnabaris seu cochinchinensis seu Croton lechleri seu draconoides seu palanostigma seu perpecosus seu rimbachii seu sampatik seu erythrochilus seu Pterocarpus officinalis
English: Dragon's Blood / Calamus Resin / Dracaena Resin / Croton Resin

Tastes: Sweet, salty, neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis and alleviates pain
   Pain from Blood Stasis, especially due to traumatic injury such as injury from falls, fractures, contusions and sprains
2. Stops bleeding
   Applied topically for bleeding due to external injury
3. Protects the surface of ulcers, prevents decay and generates flesh
   Chronic non-healing ulcers and cancers

Standard Dosage: 1-2g in pill or powder for internal use.

Pinyin: La Jiao  Chinese: 辣椒
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Capsici
English: Chili Pepper

Tastes: Pungent, hot
Meridians Entered: Heart, Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Promotes Yang Qi and Warms the Spleen and Stomach
   Aids poor digestion
   Diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain due to Cold Stagnation
2. Promotes Circulation of Qi and Blood
   Moves Blood and Qi and warms the body, opening channels and clearing obstructions
3. Dissipates Cold Stagnation
   Cold Bi syndromes, pain due to Cold, frostbite

Standard Dosage: 0.9-2.4g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in case of yin deficiency with effulgent fire and people with cough and eye disease.