Pinyin: Xian He Cao  Chinese: 仙鹤草
Pharmaceutical: Herba Agrimoniae
Taxonomy: Agrimonia pilosa
English: Agrimony

Tastes: Bitter, astringent, neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Astringes leakage of Blood and stops bleeding
   Various types of bleeding such as hematemesis, hemoptysis, epistaxis, bleeding gums, hematuria, intestinal bleeding and uterine bleeding With appropriate herbs, it can be used for bleeding due to Heat, Cold Excess or Deficiency
2. Astringes diarrhoea and dysentery
   Chronic diarrhoea and dysentery
3. Kills parasites
   Trichomonas vaginitis (topical), tapeworm and malarial disorders (internal)
4. Tonifies Qi and Blood
   Qi and Blood Deficiencies due to overexertion
5. Reduces swelling and eliminates pus
   The vine is used topically or internally, treats breast abscesses, swellings and ulcerations

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Mo Han Lian / Han Lian Cao  Chinese: 墨旱莲 / 旱蓮草
Pharmaceutical: Herba Ecliptae
Taxonomy: Eclipta prostrata seu alba
English: False Daisy / Eclipta / Yerba de Tago

Tastes: Sweet, sour, cold
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Nourishes and tonifies Liver and Kidney Yin
   Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiencies with dizziness, blurred vision, vertigo, and premature graying of the hair
2. Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
   Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire Rising and bleeding due to Heat in the Blood with hematemesis, hemoptysis, epistaxis, hemafecia, uterine bleeding and especially hematuria

Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.

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: 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: Bai Ji  Chinese: 白芨
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Bletillae
English: Urn Orchid Rhizome

Tastes: Bitter, sweet, stringe, astringe, light cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Stomach and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Astringes leakage of Blood and stops bleeding
   Bleeding from the Lungs and Stomach with Hematemesis, hemoptysis and epistaxis
   Bleeding due to traumatic injury (topical)
2. Reduces swelling, generates flesh and eliminates ulcers
   Topically for sores, ulcers and chapped skin (whether or not the sore has ulcerated)
3. Nourishes the Lungs and resolves Phlegm
   Lung damage

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should not be used with Wu Tou (eighteen antagonisms).

Pinyin: Bai Lian  Chinese: 白蔹
Pharmaceutical: Radix Ampelopsis
English: Japanese Ampelopsis Root

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Heart and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Drains Fire, relieves toxicity, eliminates Dampness, resolves lumps (reduces swelling), relieves pain, promotes the healing of wounds and generates flesh
   Fire toxicity B (Chuang Yung) with sores and abscesses (can be used as a stand-alone herb) Wounds

Standard Dosage: 4.5-9g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be avoided using in treating patients with deficiency cold of spleen and stomach. It is antagonistic to Wu Tou.

Pinyin: Ce Bai Ye  Chinese: 侧柏叶
Pharmaceutical: Cacumen Platycladi
English: Oriental Arborvitae Tip / Biota Leaves

Tastes: Bitter, astringent cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Liver and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
   Blood Heat bleeding with hematemesis, bleeding gums, hemafecia, hematuria, bloody dysenteric disorders and uterine bleeding
   This herb may be combined with appropriate herbs to treat bleeding associated with Cold patterns
2. Stops cough and asthma and expels Phlegm
   Lung Heat with cough
   Phlegm Heat, especially important for viscous, difficult-to-expectorate, blood-streaked sputum
3. Promotes the healing of burns and generates flesh (topical)
   Burns (topically in powdered form in the early stages over a moderate area)
4. Promotes hair growth
   Hair loss
5. Clears Damp-Heat
   Vaginal discharge due to Damp-Heat
6. Dispels Wind-Dampness
   Wind-Damp Bi

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: E Jiao  Chinese: 阿胶
Pharmaceutical: Colla Corii Asini
English: Donkey-Hide Gelatin / Ass-Hide Glue

Tastes: Sweet, neutral
Meridians Entered: Lung, Liver, Kidney and Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Blood
   Blood Deficiency with dizziness, sallow or pale complexion and palpitations
2. Nourishes the Blood and stops bleeding
   Any kind of bleeding, especially consumptive disorders with hemoptysis, hemafecia, menorrhagia or metrorrhagia
3. Nourishes and moistens Yin
   Yin Deficiency with irritability and insomnia in the aftermath of a Warm febrile disease
4. Moistens the Lungs and Large Intestine
   Dry Lung coughs due to Yin Deficiency or consumption

Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for spleen and stomach deficiency, poor appetite, loose stool due to spleen deficiency because it is greasy and will produce indigestion.

Animal products are prohibited from use in the UK under the Medicines Act 1968 ch. 67 which restricts herbalists to the use of plant products only. It may be substituted with a variety of Blood and Yin tonics depending on the formula, or gelatin from other animal sources such as pigs or cows included as dietary advice, provided it is not supplied by the herbalist as part of the prescription.

Pinyin: Bai Mao Gen  Chinese: 白茅根
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Imperatae
Taxonomy: Imperata cylindrica
English: Wooly Grass Rhizome / Lanlang Grass Rhizome / Cogongrass Rhizome / Imperata Rhizome

Tastes: Sweet, cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Stomach and Bladder

Actions & Indications:

1. Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
   Bleeding due to Blood Heat with epistaxis, hematemesis, hemoptysis and hematuria
2. Clears Heat and promotes urination
   Lin Syndrome Heat patterns with oedema and urinary difficulty
3. Clears Heat from the Stomach and Lungs
   Stomach Heat with nausea and thirst Lung Heat with wheezing
4. Wards off Ghosts (鬼 Gui)
   Baopuzi says that if you see a ghost in the mountains, throw some Bai Mao at it and it will die (Wen, 2024).

Standard Dosage: 15-30g in decoction.