Pinyin: Jin Qian Cao  Chinese: 金錢草
Pharmaceutical: Herba Lysimachiae christinae
Taxonomy: Lysimachia christina
English: Gold-coin Grass / Asian Moneywort Herb / Yellow Loose-strife

Tastes: Sweet, bland and slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Liver, Gallbladder, Kidney and Bladder

Actions & Indications:

1. Promotes urination, unblocks painful urinary dysfunction and expels stones from the urinary tract
   Painful urinary dysfunction
   Urinary tract stones (can be used alone)
2. Clears Liver and Gallbladder Damp-Heat and expels gallstones
   Jaundice, red, swollen eyes and gallstones due to Liver/Gallbladder Damp-Heat
3. Clears Heat and resolves toxicity and swelling
   Snake bite, abscess, traumatic injury (apply fresh herb topically)

Standard Dosage: 15-60g in decoction.

Pinyin: Hu Zhang  Chinese: 虎杖
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Polygoni cuspidati
Taxonomy: Polygonum cuspidatum
English: Japanese Knotweed Root

Tastes: Bitter and cold
Meridians Entered: Liver, Gallbladder and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis, unblocks the channels and stops pain
   Amenorrhea due to Blood Stasis
   Wind-Damp Bi
   Traumatic injury
2. Clears Heat and resolves Dampness
   Damp-Heat jaundice
   Turbid vaginal discharge
   Turbid, painful urinary dysfunction
3. Discharges toxins and disperses swelling
   Toxic skin conditions, burns and carbuncles
4. Drains Heat, transforms Phlegm and stops cough
   Lung Heat cough
   Constipation due to clumping of Heat

Standard Dosage: 9-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for pregnant women.

Caution should also be taken if growing or wild foraging as careless harvesting can encourage propagation which is illegal in the UK due to the extreme invasive nature and damage to property values and biodiversity that this plant can do.

Pinyin: Yu Jin  Chinese: 鬱金
Pharmaceutical: Radix Curcumae
Taxonomy: Curcuma aromatica seu wenyujin
English: Turmeric Tuber

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Liver, Gallbladder and Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis, regulates Qi flow, speeds healing of chronic sores and alleviates pain
   Blood Stasis due to trauma (topical and internal)
   Chronic sores
   Liver Qi Stagnation with chest, flank menstrual and abdominal pain
   Especially useful for Liver Qi Stagnation with Heat signs
2. Clears Heat and cools the Blood
   Xue Level Heat with epistaxis, haematemesis and haematuria
   Especially for epistaxis at the onset of menstruation (Inverted menstruation)
3. Clears the Heart and Pericardium and opens the Orifices
   Phlegm Heat Obstructing the Heart Orifices with anxiety, agitation, seizures or mental derangement
4. Benefits the Gallbladder and reduces jaundice
   Gallbladder disorders Jaundice
5. Expels Gu Parasites
   Gu Syndrome with Blood Stasis leading to mental agitation (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 5-12g in decoction.
Cautions: Use with cautions for pregnant women because this herb can activate blood and resolve stasis leading to uterine excitation. Do not combine with Ding Xiang.

Due to its ability to increase bile secretion, caution should be used in cases of gallstones and avoided in biliary tract obstruction.

Pinyin: Da Huang  Chinese: 大黄
Pharmaceutical: Radix et Rhizoma Rhei
Taxonomy: Rheum palmatum
English: Chinese Rhubarb Root

Tastes: Bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Large Intestine, Spleen, Stomach, Liver and Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Drains Heat and purges accumulations
   Intestinal Heat Excess, with high fever, profuse sweating, thirst, constipation, abdominal distention and pain, delirium, a yellow tongue coat and a full pulse
   Yang-Ming Fu Stage
   Qi Level Heat in the Intestines
2. Drains Fire
   Fire from Excess with intense fever, sore throat, and painful eyes and constipation
   Fire toxin sores due to Xue Level Heat, especially with constipation
3. Clears Heat, transforms Dampness and promotes urination
   Damp-Heat with oedema, jaundice, painful urinary dysfunction and acute, hot dysenteric disorders
4. Drains Heat from the Blood
   Bloody stool either from hemorrhoids or Heat in the Intestines
   Chaotic movement of hot Blood with hemoptysis or epistaxis with constipation
   It can be powdered and administered orally for bleeding in the upper digestive tract
5. Invigorates the Blood and dispels Blood Stasis
   Blood Stasis with amenorrhea, fixed abdominal masses or fixed pain
   Blood Stasis due to traumatic injury
   Intestinal abscess
6. Clears Heat and reduces Fire toxicity
   Topically or internally for burns or skin lesions (Chuang Yung) due to Heat
7. Clears Heat and eliminates Phlegm
   Chronic Accumulation of Phlegm-Heat with cough, dyspnea, mania, disorientation and other symptoms of Phlegm Misting the Heart

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction. Excessive decoction will reduce the purgative action. Therefore it should be added at end to achieve this purpose and over-decocted to eliminate this action.
Cautions: It should be used with caution in case of spleen and stomach deficiency for its bitter and cold property which is easily to damage stomach qi. It is contraindicated to women during pregnancy, menstruation or lactation for it has actions of activating blood and resolving stasis, and can make the purged substances follow lactating out.

Pinyin: Zhi Shi  Chinese: 枳实
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Aurantii Immaturus
Taxonomy: Citrus aurantium
English: Immature Seville Orange / Immature Bitter Orange / Immature Sour Orange

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Breaks up Stagnant Qi, reduces accumulation, descends Qi, unblocks the bowels and removes Stagnant Food
   Qi Stagnation and accumulation with epigastric or abdominal pain and distention or indigestion with focal distention or gas
   Food Stagnation
2. Transforms Phlegm, reduces distention and resolves hardenings
   Turbid Phlegm Obstructing the Qi with focal distention and fullness in the chest and epigastrium
3. Expels Wind, alleviates itching, breaks up bindings, regenerates flesh and invigorates the Qi
   Listed in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as a medium class wood which "treats great Wind within the skin giving rise to tormenting itching as if [caused by] flax seeds, eliminates cold and heat and heat binding, stops dysentery, promotes the growth of the muscles and flesh, disinhibits the five viscera, boosts the qi, and makes the body light."

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for pregnant women.