Pinyin: Mu Xiang  Chinese: 木香
Pharmaceutical: Radix Aucklandiae
English: Costus Root

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine and Gall Bladder

Actions & Indications:

1. Promotes the movement of Qi and alleviates pain
   Spleen/Stomach Qi Stagnation with anorexia, a feeling of food sitting in the Stomach, epigastric or abdominal pain or distention, nausea and vomiting
   Liver or Gallbladder Qi Stagnation with flank pain, distention or soreness
   Relieves the symptoms of Gu Sydnrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
2. Adjusts and regulates stagnant Qi in the Intestines
   Intestinal Qi Stagnation with diarrhoea or dysenteric disorders, abdominal pain and tenesmus
3. Strengthens the Spleen and prevents Stagnation
   Stagnation from tonic herbs, especially when the transportive and transformative functions of the Spleen are weak
4. Dispels Damp-Heat and harmonizes the Liver and Spleen
   Disharmony of the Liver and Spleen with hypochondriac pain and distention, a bitter taste in the mouth, a yellow tongue coat and possibly jaundice
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, prevent oppressive Ghost Dreams whether sleeping during the day or the night. 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.

Pinyin: Bing Lang  Chinese: 槟榔
Pharmaceutical: Semen Arecae
Taxonomy: Areca catechu
English: Betel Nut

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Stomach and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Kills Parasites and expels Demons
   Kills a wide variety of Intestinal parasites including fasciolopsis, pinworms, roundworms and Blood flukes Best for tapeworms
   Drains downward to expel the bodies of dead parasites
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
2. Regulates Qi, reduces accumulations, drains downward and unblocks the bowels
   Food Stagnation and Qi Stagnation with abdominal distention, constipation or tenesmus
3. Promotes urination
   Damp leg Qi and oedema due to Excess
4. Treats malarial disorders
   Malarial disorders
5. Relieves nausea
   Nausea

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for loose stool due to spleen insufficiency or qi sinking. Use with caution for pregnant women.

This herb is prohibited from use in the UK under the banned and restricted herbal ingredients list issued by the MHRA and so is generally substituted with Zhi Shi and Yi Li Ren, or Fei Zi and Yu Li Ren for expelling parasites.

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: Qian Niu Zi  Chinese: 牵牛子
Pharmaceutical: Semen Pharbitidis
English: Morning Glory Seeds

Tastes: Bitter, Cold, Toxic
Meridians Entered: Large Intestine, Lung, and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Drives out water through the urine and stool
   Edema and ascites from Stagnation of pathogenic water or Dampness
   Constipation due to Heat accumulation in the Stomach and Intestines
   Can be used as a stand-alone herb
2. Descends Lung Qi and drives out Phlegm and thin mucus (Tan Yin)
   Thin mucus obstructing the Lungs with cough, wheezing and a sensation of fullness in the chest and abdomen
3. Unblocks the bowels and removes Damp-Heat
   Constipation due to accumulation and Stagnation of Damp-Heat or Food Stagnation in the Stomach and Intestines (reduce the dosage)
4. Expels intestinal parasites and reduces Stagnation
   Tapeworm or roundworm infestation Food Stagnation

Standard Dosage: 3-9g in decoction, 1.5-3g in powders or pills.
Cautions: It is contraindicated to pregnancy, and incompatible with Ba Dou.

Pinyin: Qing Pi  Chinese: 青皮
Pharmaceutical: Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae Viride
English: Unripe Tangerine Peel

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Liver, Gallbladder, Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Spreads Liver Qi and breaks up Stagnant Qi
   Liver Qi Stagnation with chest, hypochondriac and breast distention and pain or bulging disorder
2. Dissipates accumulations and reduces Food Stagnation
   Food Stagnation with accumulation manifesting as pain, distention or a stifling sensation in the epigastrium
   Severe Food Stagnation
   Qi Stagnation which leads to Blood Stagnation with masses
3. Dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
   Phlegm-Damp with malarial disorders
   Breast abscess

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Chen Pi  Chinese: 陈皮
Pharmaceutical: Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae
Taxonomy: Citrus spp.
English: Aged Tangerine Peel

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Regulates Qi, adjusts the Middle and relieves the diaphragm
   Spleen/Stomach Qi Stagnation with epigastric or abdominal distention, fullness, bloating, belching, nausea and vomiting
   Relieves the symptoms of Gu Sydnrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
2. Dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
   Phlegm-Damp Obstructs the Lung with coughing, a stifling sensation in the chest and/or diaphragm and copious, viscous sputum
   Turbid Damp Obstructs the Middle with a stifling sensation in the chest, abdominal distention, anorexia, fatigue, loose stools and a thick, greasy tongue coat
3. Helps prevent Stagnation from tonic herbs
   Tonic herbs causing Stagnation
4. Descends Qi
   Qi Rebellion
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, remove foul breath, precipitate the Qi, and enable one to communicate with spirits. 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.

Pinyin: Xiang Fu  Chinese: 香附
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Cyperi
English: Nut-Grass Rhizome

Tastes: Pungent, slightly bitter and sweet, bland
Meridians Entered: Liver and Triple Energizer

Actions & Indications:

1. Spreads and regulates Liver Qi
   Liver Qi Stagnation with hypochondriac pain and epigastric distention
   Disharmony between the Liver and Spleen
2. Regulates menstruation and alleviates pain
   Gynecological disorders due to Liver Qi Stagnation with dysmenorrhea or irregular menstruation

Standard Dosage: 6-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: E Zhu  Chinese: 莪朮
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Curcumae zedoariae
Taxonomy: Curcuma zedoaria
English: White Turmeric Root

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates Blood circulation, dispels Blood Stasis, regulates Qi and alleviates pain
   Blood Stasis with abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, abdominal masses and epigastric masses
2. Dissolves accumulations and alleviates pain
   Food Stagnation with pain, distention, fullness and constriction in the chest and abdomen
   Childhood nutritional impairment
   Relieves the symptoms of Gu Sydnrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 3-15g in decoction.
Cautions: This herb is drastic in property with the disadvantage of consuming qi and impairing blood. Do not overtake long. Prohibited for pregnant women and during menstrual periods.

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

Pinyin: Zhi Ke  Chinese: 枳壳
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Aurantii
Taxonomy: Citrus aurantium
English: Seville Orange / Bitter Orange / Sour Orange

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, sore and slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Promotes the movement of Qi, reduces distention and pressure and resolves hardenings
   Qi Stagnation and accumulation (especially in weak or deficient patients)
2. Removes stagnated food
   Food Stagnation

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Used with caution for pregnant women.

Pinyin: Huang Lian  Chinese: 黄连
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Coptidis
Taxonomy: Coptidis chinensis
English: Coptis Rhizome / Goldthread Rhizome

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat and drains Dampness
   Damp-Heat in the Stomach or Intestines with diarrhoea or dysenteric disorder
   Stomach Heat with vomiting and/or acid regurgitation
2. Drains Fire and resolves Fire toxicity
   Heat with Blazing Fire (Toxic Heat) with high fever. irritability, disorientation, delirium, a red tongue and a rapid, full pulse
   Heat from Excess with toxicity: painful, red eyes and a sore throat
   Boils, carbuncles and abscesses (Chuang Yung)
3. Clears Heat and stops bleeding
   Blood Heat with epistaxis, hematuria, hemafecia and hemoptysis
4. Clears Heat topically
   Infected wounds, red and painful eyes, ulcerations of the tongue and mouth (topical)
5. Clears Heart Fire (sedative)
   Heart Fire
   Lack of communication between the Heart and Kidneys
6. Drains Stomach Fire
   Stomach Fire
7. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, improve memory. 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: 2-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for deficiency-cold syndrome. Because its taste is extremly bitter and dryness, overdosage and long-time taking will impair spleen and stomach, yin and fluids.

Pinyin: Huang Bai  Chinese: 黄柏
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Phellodendri
Taxonomy: Phellodendron amurense seu chinense
English: Amur Corktree Bark

Tastes: Bitter, cold
Meridians Entered: Liver, Gallbladder, Large Intestine, Kidney and Bladder

Actions & Indications:

1. Drains Damp-Heat especially from the Lower Jiao
   Thick, yellow vaginal discharge, foul smelling diarrhoea or dysenteric disorder
   Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao
   Hot Leg Qi with red, swollen, painful knees, legs or feet
   Damp-Heat jaundice
2. Drains Kidney Fire (False Heat, Deficiency Heat)
   Kidney Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire Rising (steaming bone disorder, night sweats, afternoon fevers and sweating, occasionally with nocturnal emissions and spermatorrhea)
3. Drains Fire and relieves Fire toxicity
   Toxic sores and Damp-skin lesions (internally and topically)

Standard Dosage: 6-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for deficiency-cold syndrome. Overdosage and long-time taking will impair spleen and stomach.