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.

Pinyin: Gan Jiang  Chinese: 干姜
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Zingiberis
Taxonomy: Zingiber officinale
English: Dried Ginger

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Warms the Middle and expels Cold
   External Cold affecting the Spleen and Stomach Spleen and Stomach Yang Deficiencies
2. Dispels Wind-Dampness seeping into the Lower Jiao
   Lower Jiao Wind-Cold-Damp Bi
3. Rescues Devastated Yang and expels Interior Cold
   Devastated Yang with a very weak pulse and cold limbs
4. Warms the Lungs and transforms thin mucus
   Lung Cold with expectoration of thin, watery or white sputum
5. Warms the channels (unblocks the pulse) and stops bleeding
   Haemorrhage due to Deficiency Cold, especially uterine bleeding (only if the bleeding is chronic and pale in colour with cold limbs, ashen white face and a soggy thin pulse)
6. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, remove foul smell and enable one to communicate withe Spirit Light (Shen Ming 神明). 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: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for yin deficiency with internal heat and haemorrhage due to blood heat.

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.

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.