Pinyin: Xun Yi Cao  Chinese: 薰衣草
Pharmaceutical: Herba Lavandulae
English: Lavender

Tastes: Pungent, cool

Actions:
Clear heat and remove toxicity, expel wind and relieve itching.

Indications:
Sore throat, scalds and burns, rubella, tongue boil, aphtha, dizziness, headache, scabies

Standard Dosage: 3-9g in decoction.

Pinyin: Bo He  Chinese: 薄荷
Pharmaceutical: Herba Menthae haplocalycis
Taxonomy: Mentha haplocalyx
English: Field Mint / Wild Mint

Tastes: Pungent, cool
Meridians Entered: Lung and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Disperses Wind-Heat, cools and clears the head and eyes and benefits the throat
   Wind-Heat with fever, cough, headache, red eyes and a sore throat
2. Vents rashes
   Early-stage rashes e.g. measles
3. Relieves Stagnation of Liver Qi
   Liver Qi Stagnation with pressure in the chest or flanks, emotional instability and gynecological problems
4. Expels turbid filth
   Exposure to unclean Qi in the Summertime leading to gastric distress with abdominal pain, vomiting. diarrhoea and a thick, yellow, greasy tongue coat
5. Releases the Exterior and Drives Out Snakes
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
   One of the chief herbs for treating Gu Syndrome, along with Bai Zhi and Zi Su Ye, classed as "open the exterior with snake killing herbs" (Fruehauf, 1998).

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: San Qi / Tian Qi  Chinese: 三七 / 田七
Pharmaceutical: Radix Notoginseng
Taxonomy: Panax notoginseng
English: Pseudoginseng Root

Tastes: Sweet, slightly bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Stomach and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Stops bleeding without causing Blood Stasis
   Internal and external bleeding including hematemesis, epistaxis, hematochezia, metrorrhagia, bloody dysentery, menorrhagia, and hematuria, dizziness, pain
2. Invigorates the Blood without damaging the Blood
   Chest and abdominal pain and joint pain due to Blood Stasis
   Sores, carbuncles and snake and animal bites, conjunctivitis
   Hypertension (Pan et al., 2012)
   Cancer
3. Reduces swelling, alleviates pain and removes extravasated Blood
   Traumatic injury with swelling and pain, including falls, fractures, contusions and sprains, stab wounds, pain, dizziness and post-natal Blood retention
4. Relieves the symptoms of Gu Sydnrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction. 1-1.5g as powder or pills.
Cautions: Use with cautions for pregnant women.

Pinyin: Zhang Nao  Chinese: 樟脑
Pharmaceutical: Camphorae
Taxonomy: Cinnamomum camphora
English: Camphor

Tastes: Pungent, hot, slightly toxic
Meridians Entered: Heart and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Expels Wind and Dampness and kills parasites
   Wind-Damp skin lesions
   Scabies, tinea and itching sores
2. Opens the Orifices and expels turbidity
   Delirium and loss of consciousness due to Hot disorders
3. Invigorates the Blood, Disperses Cold and alleviates pain
   Topically for Blood Stagnation due to traumatic injury (injuries from falls, fractures, contusions, sprains pain and swelling)
   Toothache

Standard Dosage: 0.06-0.15g as powder or pills. It should not be decocted.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for qi deficiency and pregnant women. It should be used very carefully for people with skin allergy. It should not be overdose for qi deficiency when taking orally.

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: Du Huo  Chinese: 独活
Pharmaceutical: Radix Angelicae pubescentis seu biserratae
Taxonomy: Angelica pubescens seu biserrata
English: Pubescent Angelica Root / Hairy Angelica Root / Double Teeth Angelica Root

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Liver, Kidney, and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Dispels Wind-Dampness and alleviates pain
   Wind-Cold-Damp painful obstruction (Bi Syndrome), especially in the low back and legs (acute and chronic).
2. Disperses Wind-Cold-Dampness and releases the Exterior
   Exterior Wind-Cold with Dampness
3. Treats Shaoyin Level headache and toothache
   Shaoyin Level headache and toothache
4. 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 slow ageing. 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: 3-9g in decoction.
Cautions: Being pungent, fragrant, bitter and dry, it can easily damage yin and body fluid, so it should be used cautiously to treat patients with usual constitution of yin deficiency and blood dryness.

Pinyin: Ru Xiang  Chinese: 乳香
Pharmaceutical: Olibanum
Taxonomy: Boswellia serrata
English: Frankincense

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood and promotes the movement of Qi
   Pain due to Blood Stasis from traumatic injury
   Early stage toxic sores, carbuncles, swellings and pain
   Blood Stasis with chest, epigastric or abdominal pain
2. Relaxes the sinews, activates the channels and alleviates pain
   Wind-Damp Bi with rigidity and spasms
3. Reduces swelling and generates flesh
   Topically as an ointment or powder to reduce swelling, generate flesh, alleviate pain and promote healing of sores, carbuncles, and traumatic injury
   Pain, redness and swelling of the gums, mouth and throat

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: This herb is drasticly pungent with strong stimulation to stomach and easily causes nausea and vomiting. So it should not be taken by large dose or for a long time. Use with cautions for patients with weak stomach; prohibited for pregnant women.

Pinyin: Mo Yao  Chinese: 沒藥
Pharmaceutical: Resina Commiphorae
Taxonomy: Commiphora mukul
English: Myrrh

Tastes: Pungent, Bitter, Neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart, Liver and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis, alleviates pain and reduces swelling
   Blood Stasis with pain from trauma, sores, carbuncles, swellings, fixed abdominal masses, painful obstruction, chest pain, abdominal pain and amenorrhea
2. Generates flesh and promotes healing
   Chronic non-healing sores

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decocotion.
Cautions: Like Ru Xiang this herb is drastically pungent with strong stimulation to stomach and easily causes nausea and vomiting. It should not be taken by large dose or for a long time. Use with cautions for patients with weak stomach; prohibited for pregnant women.

Pinyin: Sha Guo  Chinese: 沙果
Pharmaceutical: Radix et fructus Gaultheria
Taxonomy: Gaultheria hookeri
English: Himalayan Wintergreen

Tastes: Pungent, sweet, cool

Actions:
Expel wind-damp, relieve cough and asthma.

Indications:
Rheumatic arthritis, cough with asthma, pleurisy

Standard Dosage: 6-15g in decoction.

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.