Pinyin: Hu Zhang  Chinese: 虎杖
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Polygoni cuspidati
Taxonomy: Polygonum cuspidatum
English: Japanese Knotweed Root

Tastes: Bitter and cold
Meridians Entered: Liver, Gallbladder and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis, unblocks the channels and stops pain
   Amenorrhea due to Blood Stasis
   Wind-Damp Bi
   Traumatic injury
2. Clears Heat and resolves Dampness
   Damp-Heat jaundice
   Turbid vaginal discharge
   Turbid, painful urinary dysfunction
3. Discharges toxins and disperses swelling
   Toxic skin conditions, burns and carbuncles
4. Drains Heat, transforms Phlegm and stops cough
   Lung Heat cough
   Constipation due to clumping of Heat

Standard Dosage: 9-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for pregnant women.

Caution should also be taken if growing or wild foraging as careless harvesting can encourage propagation which is illegal in the UK due to the extreme invasive nature and damage to property values and biodiversity that this plant can do.

Pinyin: Lian Qiao  Chinese: 连翘
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Forsythiae
Taxonomy: Forsythia suspensa
English: Weeping Forsythia Capsule / Forsythia Fruit

Tastes: Bitter, slightly pungent, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Heart and Gall Bladder or Small Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat (especially in the Upper Jiao) and resolves Toxicity
   Wind-Heat with high fever, slight chills and sore throat
   Bound Heat
2. Reduces abscesses and dissipates clumps
   Toxic Heat sores and swellings (Chuang Yung), swollen welling abscesses, malign sores, scrofula, goiter and tumours of the neck
   Throat Bi
3. Clears Blood Heat
   Blood Heat
4. Promotes urination
   Lin syndrome (urinary stones), dysuria, haematuria
5. Releases the Exterior and Drives Out Snakes
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as an inferior herb that treats Gu Toxins
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 1998; 2015)

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: Ban Lan Gen  Chinese: 板蓝根
Pharmaceutical: Radix Isatidis
English: Indigo Woad Root

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Drains Heat, relieves Fire toxicity, cools the Blood and benefits the throat
   Warm febrile disease Epidemic disorders Seasonal toxic pathogens such as mumps, and painful, swollen throat conditions Damp-Heat jaundice Gallbladder Heat Blood Heat

Standard Dosage: 15-30g in decoction.

Pinyin: Chai Hu  Chinese: 柴胡
Pharmaceutical: Radix Bupleuri
Taxonomy: Bupleurum chinense (Nan Chai Hu) seu scorzoneraefolium (Bei Chai Hu)
English: Hare's Ear Root / Thorowax Root

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Liver and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Resolves Shaoyang disorders and reduces fever (harmonizes the Exterior and Interior)
   Shaoyang Stage with alternating chills and fever, a bitter taste,dizziness, tinnitus, flank pain, irritability, vomiting and a stifling sensation in the chest
   Deficiency Heat (auxiliary)
   Gallbladder Fire
2. Spreads Liver Qi and relieves Stagnation
   Liver Qi Stagnation with dizziness, vertigo, chest and flank pain, emotional instability and menstrual problems
   Disharmony between the Liver and Spleen with epigastric and flank pain, a stifling sensation in the chest, abdominal bloating, nausea and indigestion
   Liver/Gallbladder Disharmony
3. Raises Yang Qi (specifically the Clear Qi of the Stomach and Gallbladder)
   Spleen and Stomach Yang Deficiency, Qi collapse (prolapse) with hemorrhoids, vaginal discharge, bleeding or exhaustion
4. Disperses Wind-Heat and resolves Phlegm and congestion
   Wind-Heat
5. Guides herbs to the Shaoyang aspects of the head
   Shaoyang headaches
6. Releases the Exterior and Drives Out Snakes
   Relieves the symptoms of Gu Sydnrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
7. 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 brighten the eyes and boost the Essence. 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: Up to 3g to raise sinking Qi, 6-9g to relieve Liver Qi stagnation, 12-24g to release the exterior.
Cautions: Anyone who has syndromes of yin deficiency with yang hyperactivity, stirring of liver wind, yin deficiency with effulgent fire and qi going upward adversely, this herb should be used with cautions.

Pinyin: Bai Jiang Cao  Chinese: 敗醬草
Pharmaceutical: Herba Patriniae
English: Patrinia / Thiapsi

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Large Intestine, Stomach and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat, resolves toxicity, expels pus, eliminates Phlegm and reduces abscesses (internal and topical)
   Fire toxicity disorders such as Intestinal abscess, furuncles, carbuncles, erysipelas
   Fire Toxin sores and swellings (Chuang Yung)
2. Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis, resolves bruises and stops pain
   Heat induced Blood Stagnation with pain and obstruction especially in the abdomen and chest Postpartum pain and post operative pain

Standard Dosage: 6-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: Ma Bian Cao  Chinese: 馬鞭草
Pharmaceutical: Herba Verbenae
Taxonomy: Verbena officianalis
English: Verbena / Vervain

Tastes: Bitter, cool
Meridians Entered: Liver and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, reduces abdominal masses, cools the Blood and unblocks the menses
   Dysmenorrhea or amenorrhea due to Blood Stasis
   Abdominal masses (can be used as a stand-alone herb in decoction chased by warm wine)
2. Clears Heat and resolves toxicity
   Severe sore throat, throat Bi, and other accumulations of Heat toxin including breast abscess (use the macerated fresh herb)
3. Facilitates urination and check malarial disorders
   Internal blockage of Dampness with oedema or ascites
   Malarial disorders (use the fresh juice)
4. Promotes urination and reduces oedema
   Edema, ascites and water accumulation during the later stages of parasitic infections

Standard Dosage: 15-30g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated to pregnant women.

Pinyin: Lu Gen  Chinese: 芦根
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Phragmitis
English: Reed Rhizome

Tastes: Sweet and cold
Meridians Entered: Lung and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Heat and irritability from the Lungs and Stomach and generates fluids
   Internal Heat patterns with high fever, irritability and thirst, dry mouth and throat.
   Lung Heat (especially when acute) , Lung carbuncle, Lung abscess
2. Clears Stomach Heat, regulates Stomach Qi, relieves thirst and stops vomiting
   Stomach Heat (especially when accompanied by rebellious Qi)
3. Clears Heat and promotes urination
   Dark, scanty urine and hematuria especially when accompanied by irritability and thirst
4. Vents rashes
   Wind-Heat rashes that are not completely expressed
5. Relieves food poisoning
   Relieves food poisoning due to ingestion of fish and crabs
   Alcohol poisoning

Standard Dosage: 15-30g in decoction.

Pinyin: Gan Cao  Chinese: 甘草
Pharmaceutical: Radix Glycyrrhizae
Taxonomy: Glycyrrhiza uralensis seu glabra seu inflata
English: Liquorice Root

Tastes: Sweet, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Lung and Spleen (and all 12 meridians)

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi
   Spleen Qi Deficiency with shortness of breath, lassitude and loose stools
   Qi and Blood Deficiency with an irregular pulse and/or palpitations
   Heart Qi Deficiency or Heart Yang Deficiency
2. Moistens the Lungs, resolves Phlegm and stops coughing
   Lung Heat or Cold
   Productive or non-productive coughing
3. Moderates spasms and alleviates pain
   Painful muscle spasms of the abdomen and legs
4. Clears Heat and relieves Fire Toxicity
   Raw for Toxic Heat with sore throat or carbuncles and sores (Chuang Yung)
5. Antidote for many toxic substances (internal and topical)
   Poisoning
   Bites (after washing the wound, chew Gan Cao and apply a thick layer on the bite wound, changing whenever it dries out; Bao Xiang-Ao, 1846, New Compilation of Proven Formulas)
6. Moderates and harmonizes the harsh properties of other herbs and guides the herbs to all twelve channels
   Often added in small doses to harmonise formulas
7. Tonifies the Qi while suppressing Parasites
   Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
8. 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 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: Typically 1.5-9g in decoction. Large doses can be up 30g.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for combining with Hai Zao, Da Ji, Gan Sui and Yuan Hua because of "eighteen antagonisms". It is also contraindicated in cases of dampness obstruction in middle energizer and edema because it can help dampness obstruct qi, and it is prohibited from long-term usage in large dosage (more than 20g/day) and should be avoided or used with extreme caution in patients with high blood pressure because it may raise aldosterone levels in the blood causing retention of sodium.

The NHS recommends avoiding during pregnancy.