Pinyin: Ling Yang Jiao  Chinese: 羚羊角
Pharmaceutical: Cornu Saigae Tataricae
English: Antelope's Horn

Tastes: Salty, cold
Meridians Entered: Liver and Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Drains Liver Heat, calms the Liver, extinguishes Wind and controls spasms and convulsions
   Childhood seizure and convulsion disorder especially due to high fever Ying and Xue Stage Heat with stubborn high fevers
   Extreme Heat Generating Wind
   Liver Wind
2. Calms the Liver and anchors Yang
   An important substance for Liver Yang Rising with dizziness, vertigo, irritability, restlessness and splitting headaches
3. Clears the Liver and improves vision
   Headache, red and swollen eyes or photophobia due to Blazing Liver Fire
4. Drains Heat and clears Fire toxicity
   Heat Attacks the Pericardium with high fever, delirium, manic behavior and, in extreme case, loss of consciousness
5. Clears Damp-Heat
   Wind-Damp-Heat Bi
6. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of animal parts which can, with protracted taking, fortify the sinews and bones and make the body light. 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: 1-3g in decoction.

Pinyin: Gou Teng  Chinese: 钩藤
Pharmaceutical: Ramulus Uncariae cum Uncis
Taxonomy: Uncaria rhynchophylla seu macrophylla seu sinensis
English: Cat's Claw Vine / Gambir / Uncaria Vine

Tastes: Sweet, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Liver and Pericardium

Actions & Indications:

1. Extinguishes Wind and alleviates spasms
   Liver Heat Transforming into Wind with tremors, seizures and eclampsia
2. Drains Liver Heat and pacifies Liver Yang
   Liver Fire and Liver Yang Rising with headache, irritability, red eyes and dizziness
   Recently used for hypertension (high blood pressure)
3. Releases the Exterior
   Exterior Wind-Heat with fever, headache and red eyes

Standard Dosage: 3-12g in decoction as standard dose but can be up to 30g. Do not decoct for more than 10 minutes.

Pinyin: Sang Ye  Chinese: 桑叶
Pharmaceutical: Folium Mori
Taxonomy: Morus alba
English: Mulberry Leaf

Tastes: Sweet, bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Lung and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Disperses and scatters Wind-Heat
   Wind-Heat with fever, headache, sore throat and cough
   The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing also says it eliminates Cold and Heat by promoting sweating
2. Calms the Liver and clears the eyes
   Liver channel eye problems due to Wind-Heat or Yin Deficiency
   Vertigo due to Liver Yang Rising with red, sore, dry or painful eyes or spots in front of the eyes
   Hypertension (high blood pressure), high blood sugar and cholesterol
3. Clears Heat from the Lungs, stops coughing and moistens Dryness
   Lung Heat with thick, yellow Phlegm
   Lung Dryness with cough and a dry mouth
4. Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
   Mild cases of hematemesis due to Blood Heat
5. Treats Xiao Ke
   High blood glucose, type 2 diabetes, Upper Jiao Xiao Ke where thirst is the primary symptom
   Management of obesity

Standard Dosage: 9-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: Ju Hua  Chinese: 菊花
Pharmaceutical: Flos Chrysanthemi
English: Chrysanthemum

Tastes: Pungent, sweet, bitter, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Lung and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Disperses Wind and clears Heat
   Wind-Heat from a common Cold or Warm pathogen disease
2. Calms the Liver and clears the eyes
   Dry, swollen and/or painful eyes due to Wind-Heat in the Liver channel or Liver Yang
   Rising Spots in front of the eyes, blurred vision or dizziness due to Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiencies
   Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiencies with heatstroke
3. Calms Liver Yang and extinguishes Wind
   Liver Wind with dizziness, headache and deafness
   Liver Yang Rising (Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency)
   Hypertension (high blood pressure)
4. Detoxifies (purifies Blood)
   Toxic sores and swellings
5. Promotes the movement of Heart Qi and Blood and stimulates Blood circulation
   Heart Qi and Blood Stagnation
6. Kills Gu Parasites and Scatters Toxins by Releasing the Exterior
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 1998; 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, disinhibit the Blood and Qi, make the body light, slow ageing 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.

Pinyin: Bai Shao  Chinese: 白芍
Pharmaceutical: Radix Paeoniae Alba
Taxonomy: Paeonia lactiflora
English: White Peony Root

Tastes: Bitter, sour, sweet, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Nourishes the Blood and regulates menstruation
   Liver Blood Deficiency with menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge and uterine bleeding accompanied by a pale face, a lusterless complexion and dull, lusterless nails
   Anemia
   Breast distention and premenstrual syndrome
2. Astringes Yin and adjusts the Ying and Wei
   Yin Deficiency sweating Sweating due to Yin Collapse
   Disharmony between the Liver and Spleen
   Disharmony between the Ying and Wei with non-productive sweating
3. Calms Liver Yang and Liver Wind and alleviates pain
   Liver Qi Stagnation with Liver Yang Rising
   Liver Wind with Yin and Blood Deficiency
   Bi syndrome due to Blood Deficiency with pain and spasms
4. Softens the Liver and relieves pain
   Diarrhoea, borborygmus and abdominal pain
   Dysenteric disorders with tenesmus
5. Tonifies the Blood while suppressing Parasites
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.
Cautions: Caution with anticoagulants as it may slow clotting time. May also slow the absorption of phenytoin.

Pinyin: Sheng Di Huang  Chinese: 生地黃
Pharmaceutical: Radix Rehmanniae
Taxonomy: Rehmannia glutinosa
English: Chinese Foxglove Root / Rehmannia Root

Tastes: Sweet, bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Liver, Stomach and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat and cools the Blood
   Ying Stage Heat with high fever, thirst and a scarlet tongue
   Xue Stage Heat
   Hemorrhage due to Blood Heat
2. Nourishes Yin, generates fluids, increases saliva and treats wasting and thirsting
   Yin Deficiency with Heat signs
   Injury to fluids
   Throat pain due to Yin Deficiency
   Wasting and thirsting disorder (消渴 Xiao Ke - diabetes)
3. Cools Heart Fire
   Heart Fire
4. Calms the Spirit agitated by Parasites damaging the Yin
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
5. Breaks up Blood Stasis, expels Cold and Hot Bi, replenishes Bone Marrow and promotes the growth of Muscles and Flesh
   Broken bones or severed sinews from falls and a damaged center (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing)
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, 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: 10-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of diarrhea, abdomen distention due to spleen deficiency.

Pinyin: Chuan Bei Mu  Chinese: 川贝母
Pharmaceutical: Bulbus Fritillariae cirrhosae
Taxonomy: Fritillaria cirrhosa
English: Yellow Himalayan Fritillary Bulb

Tastes: Bitter, sweet, lightly cold
Meridians Entered: Lung and Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat, transforms Phlegm, stops coughing and nourishes and moistens the Lungs
   Chronic cough especially due to Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire Rising with chronic cough, slight sputum, difficult to expectorate, blood streaked sputum
   Cough with Qi Stagnation with reduced appetite and a stifling sensation in the chest and abdomen
2. Clears Heat and dissipates nodules
   Phlegm-Fire nodules (Chuang Yung sores, swellings, scrofula, Lung or breast abscesses)

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Contraindicated to Wu Tou.

Pinyin: Zhu Ru  Chinese: 竹茹
Pharmaceutical: Caulis Bambusae in Taeniam
English: Bamboo Shavings

Tastes: Sweet, lightly cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Heart and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat and transforms Hot Phlegm
   Lung Heat with viscous sputum a stifling sensation in the chest or hemoptysis (Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs)
   Gallbladder Fire harboring Phlegm and Phlegm-Heat
2. Clears Heat and stops vomiting
   Stomach Heat with bad breath, vomiting bitter or sour fluid, aversion to Heat, a greasy, yellow tongue coat (due to either Excess or Deficiency)
3. Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
   Blood Heat bleeding
4. Calms the fetus
   Restless fetus

Standard Dosage: 6-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Fu Shen  Chinese: 茯神
Pharmaceutical: Poria cum Radix Pini
Taxonomy: Poria cocos syn. Wolfiporia extensa et Pinus spp.
English: China-Root Core with Tree Bark

Tastes: Sweet, mild, neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. 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
   Shen disturbance
   Restless Heart
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
2. Strengthens the Spleen and harmonizes the Middle Jiao
   Spleen Deficiency Dampness with anorexia, diarrhoea and epigastric distention
3. 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
4. Promotes urination and leaches out Dampness
   Urinary difficulty, diarrhoea or oedema due to Stagnation of Fluids or Dampness
   Fluid Stagnation

Standard Dosage: 9-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in case of difficult urination due to kidney deficiency or spermatorrhea due to deficiency-cold.

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.