Pinyin: Bai Zhu  Chinese: 白朮
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Atractylodes macrocephalae
Taxonomy: Atractylodes macrocephala
English: Largehead Atracylodes Rhizome

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi
   Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with diarrhoea, fatigue, a sallow complexion and lack of appetite
   Spleen Yang failure to rise
2. Dries Dampness and promotes water metabolism
   Spleen Damp or accumulation of fluids affecting the digestion
   Edema and reduced urination due to Spleen Deficiency (failure to transform and transport)
   Tan Yin, masses, swelling
   Auxiliary for Damp painful obstruction
3. Stabilizes the Exterior and stops sweating
   Qi Deficiency with spontaneous sweating (Wei Qi Deficiency)
   With appropriate herbs, other types of sweating
4. Calms the fetus
   Restless fetus disorder due to Spleen Qi Deficiency
   With appropriate herbs, other types of Restless Fetus Disorder
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, prolong life 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: 6-12g in decoction.
Cautions: Use with cautions in cases of yin deficiency with fluid injury by dryness-heat pathogen.

Pinyin: Cang Zhu  Chinese: 蒼朮
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Atractylodes
Taxonomy: Atractylodes lancea seu chinensis seu japonica
English: Black Atractylodes / Gray Atractylodes / Sword-like Atractylodes root

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Strongly dries Dampness and tonifies the Spleen
   Dampness Obstructing the Middle Jiao and blocking transformative and transportive functions of the Spleen with anorexia, diarrhoea, epigastric distention and pressure, fatigue, nausea and vomiting and a thick, greasy tongue coat
2. Induces sweating and expels Wind-Dampness
   Wind-Cold Dampness and Wind-Dampness with chills and fever, headache, body aches and nasal congestion
   Painful extremities due to Wind-Damp Bi
3. Clears Dampness from the Lower Jiao
   Damp-Heat Pouring Downward with Leg Qi, some forms of atrophy disorders, vaginal discharge, swollen, sore joints
4. Improves vision
   Night blindness and diminished vision with a rough sensation in the eyes
5. Repels Ghosts
   "Strange diseases 奇病" that involve seeing ghosts
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, prolong life 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: 5-10g 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: Tian Nan Xing  Chinese: 天南星
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Arisaematis
Taxonomy: Arisaema consanguineum
English: Jack-in-the-Pulpit Rhizome

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, warm, toxic
Meridians Entered: Lung, Liver and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Dries Dampness and expels Phlegm
   Stubborn (extremely sticky) Phlegm in the Lungs with cough and a distended sensation in the chest
2. Disperses Wind-Phlegm in the channels and stops spasms
   Wind-Phlegm Obstructing the Channels with dizziness, vertigo, numbness in the limbs, facial paralysis, spasms in the hands and feet, opisthotonis, stroke, seizures or lockjaw
3. Reduces swelling and alleviates pain
   Topically for Chuang Yung (deep rooted sores, ulcers and carbuncles. Swelling due to traumatic injury and joint pain secondary to Phlegm Topically for cervical cancer

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Prohibited for yin deficiency with dry phlegm and the pregnant women.

Pinyin: Ban Xia  Chinese: 半夏
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Pinelliae
Taxonomy: Pinellia ternata
English: Pinellia Rhizome

Tastes: Pungent, warm, toxic
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
   Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs (cough with copious sputum)
   Especially effective for Damp-Phlegm of the Spleen (Cold-Damp Stagnation)
2. Descends Rebellious Qi and stops vomiting (harmonizes the Stomach)
   Vomiting due to Phlegm-Damp in the Stomach (Tan Yin), Cold thin mucus, Stomach Deficiency, Stomach Heat or pregnancy
3. Dissipates nodules and reduces Stagnation (clumps)
   Phlegm in the chest (nodules, pressure, distention, pain)
   Phlegm nodules in the neck (goiter, scrofula)
   Focal distension in the chest and epigastrium
   Obstruction caused by Phlegm anywhere in the body
4. Treats sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles and reduces swelling (external)
   Topically as a powder for sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Contraindicated to Wu Tou. Use with cautions during gestation.

Must be processed before use as raw Ban Xia is toxic. Ingesting the raw form can cause severe irritation of the mouth, pharynx, and gastrointestinal tracts, and has toxic effects on the nervous system. Symptoms of toxicity include a dry mouth, numbness of the tongue, gastric discomfort, burning sensations and swelling of the mouth, tongue, throat and salivation. In serious cases ingesting Ban Xia can result in hoarseness, spasms, dyspnoea and asphyxia.

Processing can be done with ginger and alum (Jiang Ban Xia) to make a warming herb best suited for Cold-Damp and thin Phlegm conditions, or with liquorice (Fa Ban Xia) to make a more neutral herb that is less drying and can be used for Damp-Heat conditions too.

Pinyin: Da Ji  Chinese: 大薊
Pharmaceutical: Herba seu Radix Cirsii Japonici
English: Japanese Thistle

Tastes: Sweet, bitter, cool
Meridians Entered: Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
   Blood Heat with epistaxis, hematemesis, hematuria, hemafecia or uterine bleeding
2. Disperses Blood Stasis, reduces swelling and generates flesh
   Topically for carbuncles, sores, and swellings (Chuang Yung) (use fresh)
3. Benefits the Gallbladder and reduces jaundice
   Jaundice, especially due to Damp-Heat
4. Lowers Blood pressure
   Hypertension, especially due to Liver Heat

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: Shan Ci Gu  Chinese: 山慈菇
Pharmaceutical: Pseudobulbus Cremastrae seu Pleiones seu Rhizoma Iphigeniae Indicae
English: Hardy Chinese Orchid Bulb / Cremastra Bulb / Indian Iphigenia Bulb

Tastes: Sweet, slightly pungent, cold, slightly toxic
Meridians Entered: Liver, Stomach and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat, resolves toxicity, reduces abscesses and dissipates nodules
   Significant toxic lesions including sores, abscesses, carbuncles, scrofula and Phlegm nodules
2. Resolves toxicity, dissipates nodules and reduces swelling
   Masses, primarily in the abdomen, including tumors

Standard Dosage: 3-6g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for weak people.

Pinyin: She Xiang  Chinese: 麝香
Pharmaceutical: Moschus
English: Musk

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Strongly opens the Orifices and Luo vessels, revives the Spirit and unblocks closed disorders
   Ying Stage Heat Attacks the Pericardium due to a Warm pathogen disease with convulsions, delirium, stupor and fainting
   Closed disorders (Yang Obstruction, Yin Obstruction, Phlegm Obstruction) Tetanic collapse Seizures
2. Invigorates the Blood, dissipates masses, reduces swellings, detoxifies, opens the channels and alleviates pain
   Severe problems due to Blood Stasis including fixed palpable masses, toxic sores and carbuncles
   Obstructions of the channels and collaterals due to traumatic injury or painful obstruction
   Coronary artery disease
3. Hastens delivery and facilitates the passage of stillborns (induces abortion)
   Labour
   Dead fetus or placenta fail to descend
4. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of animal parts which can, with protracted taking, eliminate evils, and stop dreams (梦) and waking from nightmares (寤魇寐). 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).
5. Removes the Three Worms
   Said in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing that it removes the Three Worms. These may refer to difficult to treat metabolic disorders caused by overindulgence and should be accompanied by fasting, meditation and exercise regimes.

Standard Dosage: 0.03-1g as pills or powder. Should not be decocted.
Cautions: 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 is generally substituted with Shi Chang Pu and Ru Xiang.