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. Invigorates the Blood and regulates menstruation, removes Blood stasis and relieves pain
   Irregular menstruation , amenorrhea , dysmenorrhea
   Abdominal masses, chest and abdominal pain
   Hot Bi Syndrome
2. Cools the Blood and soothes irritability
   Ying Stage Heat with restlessness, irritability, palpitations and insomnia
   Heart and Kidney Yin Deficiency
3. Reduces swellings
   Sores and swellings, early-stage breast abscesses
4. Nourishes the Blood and calms the Spirit
   Palpitations and insomnia due to Ying and Xue Stage Heat or Heart Blood Deficiency
5. Calms the Spirit agitated by Gu Parasites
   Agitation and restlessness caused by Heat from Gu Syndrome due to Blood Stasis or Blood deficiency
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
   The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing places it in the middle class of herbs and says it treats "Evil Qi in the Heart and abdomen with continual gurgling of the intestines like water running, cold and heat, and gatherings and accumulations. It breaks up concretions and eliminates conglomerations, relieves vexatious fullness, and boosts the qi."

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: 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: 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: Sha Ren Ke  Chinese: 砂仁壳
Pharmaceutical: Pericarpium villosi
Taxonomy: Amomum villosum syn. Wurfbainia villosa
English: Villous Cardamom Shell

Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Kidney

Actions:
Eliminate dampness, stimulate the appetite, warm the spleen, arrest diarrhea, regulate the flow of qi and prevent abortion.

Indications:
Vomiting, nausea, abdominal distension, qi stagnation in spleen and stomach

Standard Dosage: 2-5g in decoction.

Pinyin: He Ye  Chinese: 荷叶
Pharmaceutical: Nelumbinis Foliae
English: Lotus Leaf

Tastes: Bitter, astringent, neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart, Liver, Spleen, Gallbladder and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Relieves Summerheat
   Summerheat and Dampness with fever, irritability, excessive sweating, scanty urine and especially diarrhoea
2. Raises and clears Spleen Yang
   Spleen Yang Deficiency diarrhoea especially in the aftermath of Summerheat
3. Removes Stagnation and stops bleeding
   Bleeding in the Lower Jiao due to Heat or Stagnation Hematemesis (adjunctive)

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Nuo Mi  Chinese: 糯米
Pharmaceutical: Semen Oryzae Glutinosae
English: Glutinous Rice

Tastes: Sweet, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Augments the Spleen and Stomach and Tonifies Qi
   Diabetes Spontaneous perspiration Diarrhoea

Standard Dosage: 30-60g in decoction.