Pinyin: Rou Gui  Chinese: 肉桂
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Cinnamomi
Taxonomy: Cinnamomum cassia
English: Cinnamon Bark

Tastes: Pungent, sweet, hot
Meridians Entered: Kidney, Spleen, Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Warms the Kidneys, Spleen and Heart and strengthens Yang and Ming Men Fire
   Kidney Yang Deficiency and Deficiency of Ming-Men Fire with aversion to Cold, cold limbs, weak back, impotence and urinary frequency
   Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency with abdominal pain and Cold, reduced appetite and diarrhoea
   Kidney Unable to Grasp Qi
   Heart Yang Deficiency, particularly with chest Bi
2. Disperses deep Cold, warms the channels, unblocks the channels and vessels and alleviates pain
   Deep Cold causing Qi Stagnation or Blood Stasis with Cold in the Blood causing amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea, Cold-Damp Bi, Yin-type boils (chronic sores that are usually concave and ooze a clear fluid) and sores or abscesses that do not heal
   It enters the Blood aspect and, in small amounts, enhances the Blood moving action of other substances
3. Leads the Fire back to its source
   Upward Floating of Deficient Yang (False Heat, True Cold or Heat Above and Cold Below) with flushed face, wheezing, severe sweating (the sweat pours out like oil), weak and cold lower extremities and a deficient and rootless pulse
   Any condition with Heat in the Upper body (dry mouth, sore throat, or teeth which is worse at night) and Cold in the Lower body (Lower back pain, cold lower extremities, diarrhoea and weakness in the proximal portion of the pulse)
4. Assists in the generation of Qi and Blood
   Chronic Qi and Blood Deficiency (auxiliary)
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, enable one to communicate with spirits, 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: 1-5g in decoction. It should be decocted later.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for syndrome of yin deficiency with fire effulgent, haemorrhage due to blood heat and pregnant women. It is incompatible with Chi Shi Zhi (nineteen incompatibilities).

Pinyin: Qin Jiao  Chinese: 秦艽
Pharmaceutical: Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae
Taxonomy: Gentiana macrophylla
English: Large-leaf Gentian Root

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Expels Wind-Dampness, opens the channels and soothes the sinews and collaterals
   Wind-Damp Bi and cramping, especially in the limbs
   Acute or chronic Cold disorders
2. Clears Deficiency Heat
   Yin Deficiency, especially with empty Fire (fever, Steaming Bone Disorder (骨蒸 Gu Zheng))
3. Resolves Dampness and reduces jaundice
   Damp-Heat jaundice, especially acute or infantile jaundice
4. Moistens the Intestines and unblocks the bowels
   Dry constipation
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light, render a good facial complexion, slow ageing, prolong life, 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: 5-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Chuan Xiong  Chinese: 川芎
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Ligusticum
Taxonomy: Ligusticum chuanxiong syn. striatum syn. wallichii
English: Sichuan Lovage root / Cnidium root

Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Liver and Pericardium

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood and promotes the movement of Qi
   Blood Stasis, especially in gynecology with dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, difficult labor or retained lochia
   Qi and Blood Stagnation with pain and soreness in the chest, flanks and hypochondria
2. Expels Wind and alleviates pain
   Externally contracted Wind with headache, dizziness or painful obstruction (Bi Syndrome) - especially useful for headaches due to Wind-Heat, Wind-Cold or Blood Deficiency (depending on the combination)
   Wind skin disorders
3. Relieves the symptoms of Gu Syndrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for headache due to Liver Yang rising or Yin deficiency with effulgent Fire because of its warm and dry properties.
Use with caution during pregnancy or in those who bruise or bleed easily.
May have synergistic effects in those taking anticoagulant drugs.

Pinyin: Fang Feng  Chinese: 防风
Pharmaceutical: Radix Saposhnikoviae seu Ledebouriellae
English: Siler

Tastes: Pungent, sweet, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Lung, Liver and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Releases the Exterior and expels External Wind
   Wind-Cold with headache, chills, aversion to Cold, and body aches
2. Expels Wind-Dampness and alleviates pain
   Wind-Damp Bi, especially with Wind predominant
3. Expels Internal Wind and stops spasms
   As an auxiliary for Liver Wind with trembling of hands and feet and tetany
   Intestinal-Wind due to imbalance between Spleen and Liver with recurrent tenesmus and painful diarrhoea with bright blood in the stool
   Migraine headaches
4. Relieves diarrhoea and stops bleeding
   Liver and Spleen Disharmony with recurrent painful diarrhoea, borborygmus and abdominal pain
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, 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: 5-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with caution for blood deficiency and internal wind induced by heat because of its warm property.

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: Dan Shen  Chinese: 丹參
Pharmaceutical: Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae
Taxonomy: Salvia miltiorrhiza
English: Red Sage Root / Salvia Root / Zi Dan Shen 紫丹參 (Purple Cinnabar Ginseng) / Xue Shen 血參 (Blood Ginseng)

Tastes: Bitter, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat and soothes irritability
   Ying Stage Heat with restlessness, irritability, palpitations and insomnia
   Heart and Kidney Yin Deficiency
2. Cools the Blood and reduces abscesses
   Adjunctive to treat sores or early-stage breast abscesses
3. Nourishes the Blood and calms the Spirit
   Palpitations and insomnia due to Ying and Xue Stage Heat or Heart Blood Deficiency
   Agitation due to Gu Parasites / chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 5-15g in decoction.
Cautions: Use with caution for pregnant women. Contraindicated to Li Lu.

Pinyin: Fu Ling  Chinese: 茯苓
Pharmaceutical: Poria
Taxonomy: Poria cocos syn. Wolfiporia extensa
English: China-Root / Hoelen / Tuckahoe / Indian Bread

Tastes: Sweet, bland, neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart, Spleen, and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Strengthens the Spleen and harmonizes the Middle Jiao
   Spleen Deficiency Dampness with anorexia, diarrhoea and epigastric distention
2. 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
3. Promotes urination and leaches out Dampness
   Urinary difficulty, diarrhoea or oedema due to Stagnation of Fluids or Dampness
4. 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
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, quiet the Hun, nourish the Shen, make one free from hunger 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.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for spermatorrhea due to deficiency-cold.

Pinyin: Du Zhong  Chinese: 杜仲
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Eucommiae
Taxonomy: Eucommia ulmoides
English: Hardy Rubber Tree / Chinese Rubber Tree

Tastes: Sweet, warm
Meridians Entered: Kidney and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Kidneys and Liver and strengthens the sinews and bones
   Kidney and Liver Deficiency with a weak, sore or painful lower back and knees, fatigue and urinary frequency
   Weakness of sinews and bones
2. Aids the smooth flow of Qi and Blood
   Promotes circulation for weak sinews and bones
3. Calms the fetus
   Deficiency Cold patterns with bleeding during pregnancy
   Prevents miscarriage when the fetus is agitated or restless and when a pregnant woman has significant back pain or presents with a deficient condition
   Threatened abortion
4. Lowers blood pressure
   Dizziness and light-headedness due to Liver Yang Rising
5. Tonifies Kidney Yang
   Reproductive and urinary disorders such as impotence and incontinence
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 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: 10-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: Fu Zi  Chinese: 附子
Pharmaceutical: Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata
Taxonomy: Aconitum carmichaeli
English: Wolf's-bane Root / Monkshood Root / Aconite Root

Tastes: Pungent, sweet, hot, toxic
Meridians Entered: Heart, Kidney and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Restores Devastated Yang and rescues from rebellion
   Devastated Yang with diarrhoea containing undigested food, chills, cold extremities and a faint almost imperceptible pulse (often as a result of severe vomiting, diarrhoea or sweating)
2. Warms Ming Men Fire and assists Heart, Kidney and Spleen Yang
   Heart Yang Deficiency
   Spleen Yang Deficiency
   Kidney Yang Deficiency
3. Disperses Cold and Dampness, warms the channels and stops pain
   Wind-Damp-Cold Bi
   Cold blocking the organs, channels, bones and Blood vessels
   Yin flat abscesses
   Gu Parasites / chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 3-15g in decoction. Fire Spirit practitioners prescribe doses of 60-200g per day (Fruehauf, 2009).
Cautions: It is contraindicated for heat syndrome, yin-deficiency leading to hyperactivity of yang and the pregnant because of its pungent, hot, dry and drastic properties. It must be soaked and decocted for about half and hour to one hour until numbing taste disappears for oral use. Over-dosage and incorrect processing must be avoided.

This herb is prohibited from use in the UK under the banned and restricted herbal ingredients list issued by the MHRA. It is generally substituted with various Yang tonics depending on the presentation although none can imitate its powerful cardiovascular effects making them ineffective substitutes for rescuing devastated Yang. External use is permitted at 1.3% or below.

Pinyin: Shi Hu  Chinese: 石斛
Pharmaceutical: Herba Dendrobii
Taxonomy: Dendrobium nobile seu loddigesis seu fimbriatum var. oculatum seu chrysanthum seu candidum
English: Stonebushel Stem

Tastes: Sweet, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Stomach and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Nourishes Yin, clears Heat and generates fluids
   Parched mouth, severe thirst or intractable fever associated with Yin Deficiency, most commonly when the Fluids are injured during a warm pathogen disease
2. Enriches Kidney Yin and reduces Heat from Deficiency
   Yin Deficiency Heat and depleted Fluids with a recalcitrant low-grade fever, dry and painful throat and a red tongue with no coat
3. Tonifies the Kidneys, augments Jing, brightens the eyes, strengthens the tendons and bones and strengthens the low back
   Dull vision, dizziness and low back weakness and pain associated with Kidney and Liver Deficiency
4. Nourishes Stomach and Lung Yin
   Stomach and Lung Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire Rising
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, fortifty the Stomach and Intestines, 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: 10-15g in decoction, double if fresh.

Pinyin: Gan Jiang  Chinese: 干姜
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Zingiberis
Taxonomy: Zingiber officinale
English: Dried Ginger

Tastes: Pungent, hot
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Kidney, Heart and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Warms the Middle and expels Cold
   External Cold affecting the Spleen and Stomach Spleen and Stomach Yang Deficiencies
2. Dispels Wind-Dampness seeping into the Lower Jiao
   Lower Jiao Wind-Cold-Damp Bi
3. Rescues Devastated Yang and expels Interior Cold
   Devastated Yang with a very weak pulse and cold limbs
4. Warms the Lungs and transforms thin mucus
   Lung Cold with expectoration of thin, watery or white sputum
5. Warms the channels (unblocks the pulse) and stops bleeding
   Haemorrhage due to Deficiency Cold, especially uterine bleeding (only if the bleeding is chronic and pale in colour with cold limbs, ashen white face and a soggy thin pulse)
6. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, remove foul smell and enable one to communicate withe Spirit Light (Shen Ming 神明). 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.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for yin deficiency with internal heat and haemorrhage due to blood heat.

Pinyin: Mai Men Dong  Chinese: 麥門冬
Pharmaceutical: Radix Ophiopogonis
English: Dwarf Lilyturf Root

Tastes: Sweet, slightly bitter, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Stomach, Lung and Heart

Actions & Indications:

1. Moistens the Lungs, nourishes Yin and stops coughing
   Lung Yin Deficiency with a hacking, dry cough or a cough with thick, difficult to expectorate sputum, or hemoptysis
   Pathogenic Warm-Dryness Dryness that has transformed into Fire
2. Nourishes Stomach Yin and generates Fluids
   Stomach Yin Deficiency with dry mouth and tongue
3. Moistens the Intestines
   Constipation, dry mouth and irritability as a result of febrile disease or Yin Deficiency
4. Clears the Heart and eliminates irritability
   Ying Stage Heat with fever and irritability which is worse at night
   Yin Deficiency with fever and irritability which is worse at night
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light, prevent senility and make one free from hunger. 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.

Pinyin: Di Gu Pi / Gou Qi Gen Pi  Chinese: 地骨皮 / 枸杞根皮
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Lycii
Taxonomy: Lycium barbarum seu chinense
English: Goji Berry Root Bark / Wolfberry Root Bark / Boxthorn ROot Bark

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Cools the Blood and drains Yin Deficiency Fire (steaming bones) - (drains Kidney Fire, eliminates lurking Heat, and clears Heat from the bones)
   Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire Rising (Kidney Fire) with night sweats, steaming bone disorder with sweating, chronic low-grade fever, irritability and thirst
   Toothache from Floating Fire in the Kidney channel
2. Clears and drains Heat in the Lung
   Lung Heat cough or wheezing
3. Clears Heat, cools the Blood and stops bleeding
   Various bleeding disorders characterized by Heat in the Blood
4. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, fortify the sinews and bones, 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: 9-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: Wu Jia Pi  Chinese: 五加皮
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Acanthopanacis
Taxonomy: Eleutherococcus senticosus
English: Siberian Ginseng Bark

Tastes: Pungent, bitter and sweet, warm
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Dispels Wind-Dampness, nourishes (warms) the Liver and Kidneys and strengthens sinews and bones
   Chronic Wind-Cold-Damp Bi with underlying Kidney and Liver Deficiencies generating weak or soft bones or sinews
2. Transforms Dampness and reduces swelling
   Urinary difficulty, oedema, and Cold Damp “Leg Qi”
3. Tonifies the Qi while suppressing Parasites
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction, or soaked in wine.
Cautions: Caution must be taken to have the correct species. Cortex Periplocae (Xiang Jia Pi) is often mistaken for this herb but contains toxic cardiac glycosides which could be dangerous, as well as poorer therapeutic effects and none of the adaptogenic properties of Wu Jia Pi (Complemedis.com).

Pinyin: Yi Yi Ren  Chinese: 薏苡仁
Pharmaceutical: Semen Coicis
Taxonomy: Coix lacryma-jobi
English: Job's Tears / Chinese Pearl Barley

Tastes: Sweet, Bland, Slightly Cold
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Strengthens the Spleen and resolves Dampness
   Dampness Stagnation or Spleen Deficiency Dampness with diarrhoea, leg Qi, painful urinary dribbling
   Damp-Warmth (treats root and manifestations)
2. Expels Wind-Dampness and relieves pain
   Wind-Damp Bi (increases joint mobility and decreases spasms in chronic cases) for stiffness of the muscles, severe arthralgia and joint immobility
3. Clears Heat and expels pus
   Soft, pustulated carbuncles, Lung and Intestinal abscess
4. Clears Damp-Heat
   Any Damp-Heat condition at any level with a greasy, white tongue coat and digestive problems
5. 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 boost the Qi. 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). At ~70% carbohydrates (Zhu, 2017), this would represent one important source of of this nutrient class which could be had in the amounts that could be foraged, as opposed to farmed, to maintain this kind of diet long term. Its root is also suggested to expel the Three Worms.

Standard Dosage: 9-30g in decoction.

Pinyin: Huo Ma Ren  Chinese: 火麻仁
Pharmaceutical: Semen Cannabis
Taxonomy: Cannabis sativa
English: Cannabis Seed

Tastes: Sweet, mild
Meridians Entered: Large Intestine, Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Nourishes, moistens and lubricates the Intestine
   Constipation in the elderly
   Constipation after a warm febrile disease
   Postpartum constipation
   Constipation due to Blood Deficiency
2. Nourishes Yin
   Yin Deficiency with constipation
3. Clears Heat and promotes healing of sores
   Sores and ulcerations (auxiliary - internal and topical)
4. Moistens Dryness and benefits the hair
   Promotes hair growth and treats dry hair

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: Jiu  Chinese: 酒
Pharmaceutical: Alcohol
English: Rice Wine

Tastes: Hot, pungent, sweet, bitter, toxic
Meridians Entered: Stomach, Heart, Lung and Liver, but reaches every part of the body

Actions & Indications:

1. Nourishes and moves Blood and Qi, opens the Meridians
   Taken internally or applied topically as the medium for liniments in Blood stasis, especially from trauma or Bi syndromes in the elderly
2. Warms Yang and Expels Cold
   All Cold syndromes including Cold Bi, Interior Cold and Yang deficiency
   Often serves as the basis for longevity "elixirs" by soaking Yang tonifying herbs
3. Strengthens the Shen, dispels sorrow and promotes happiness
   Temporary low mood, celebration

Standard Dosage: 10-60ml, two to three times per day. Often combined with other herbs to bring out their Blood moving or warming aspects by washing them, or adding to a decoction, or soaking herbs in alcohol to make medicinal wines.
Cautions: Caution with Damp-Heat syndromes or long term consumption in the young and middle aged.

The Materia Dietetica (Shiwu Bencao 食物本草) by Lu He 卢和 from the Ming Dynasty says that excess drinking can hurt the spirit and consume blood, damage the stomach and deplete the body fluid, produce phlegm and induce fire.