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: Gua Di  Chinese: 瓜蒂
Pharmaceutical: Pedicellus Melo
English: Melon Pedicle

Tastes: Bitter, Cold, Toxic
Meridians Entered: Stomach and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Induces vomiting to relieve Phlegm-Heat or retained food
   Accumulation above the diaphragm when vomiting is the preferred treatment, including Phlegm-Heat that is constrained in the chest with seizures, mania, throat Bi, wheezing, irritability and/or insomnia
   Retained food in the Stomach with distention and chest and epigastric pain (may be used alone)
2. Dispels Damp-Heat and relieves jaundice
   Damp-Heat jaundice when Dampness predominates
   Intranasally, it treats recalcitrant jaundice of the face and eyes with headache and nasal congestion due to Dampness constrained in the head

Standard Dosage: 2.5-5g in decoction, 0.3-1g as powder.

Pinyin: Li Lu  Chinese: 藜蘆
Pharmaceutical: Radix et Rhizoma Veratri
English: Black False Hellebore

Tastes: Bitter, cold, toxic
Meridians Entered: Lung, Liver and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Induces vomiting to treat Wind-Phlegm
   Windstroke, seizures, epilepsy and painful obstruction of the throat due to a welling up of Phlegm
   Ingestion of poisons and toxic substances (take immediately)
2. Kills parasites and stops itching
   Topically for scabies, tinea, fungus and lice

Standard Dosage: 0.1-0.15g as powder or pill.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for weak people and pregnant women. Antagonizing to Ren Shen, Sha Shen, Dan Shen, Xuan Shen, Ku Shen, Xi Xin and Bai Shao.