Pinyin: Tou Gu Cao  Chinese: 透骨草
Pharmaceutical: Caulis Speranskiae seu Impatientis
Taxonomy: Speranskia tuberculata seu Impatiens balsamina
English: Garden Balsam Stem

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm, slightly toxic
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates Blood circulation, breaks up Blood Stasis, reduces swelling and generates flesh
   External and traumatic injuries with bruising, swelling, inflammation and pain
2. Clears Heat, eliminates toxins, cools the Blood and relieves pain
   Toxic sores, burns, carbuncles and swellings (topical)
3. Drains Damp-Heat
   Acute jaundice
   Hepatitis
4. Dispels Wind and Dampness and relaxes the muscles and sinews
   Arthritis and arthralgia
   Muscle and bone contracture
   Beriberi due to Cold-Dampness
   Tinea

Standard Dosage: 9-15g in decoction. Often used in external washes and soaks.
Cautions: It is contraindicated to pregnant women.

Pinyin: Ce Bai Ye  Chinese: 侧柏叶
Pharmaceutical: Cacumen Platycladi
English: Oriental Arborvitae Tip / Biota Leaves

Tastes: Bitter, astringent cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Liver and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Cools the Blood and stops bleeding
   Blood Heat bleeding with hematemesis, bleeding gums, hemafecia, hematuria, bloody dysenteric disorders and uterine bleeding
   This herb may be combined with appropriate herbs to treat bleeding associated with Cold patterns
2. Stops cough and asthma and expels Phlegm
   Lung Heat with cough
   Phlegm Heat, especially important for viscous, difficult-to-expectorate, blood-streaked sputum
3. Promotes the healing of burns and generates flesh (topical)
   Burns (topically in powdered form in the early stages over a moderate area)
4. Promotes hair growth
   Hair loss
5. Clears Damp-Heat
   Vaginal discharge due to Damp-Heat
6. Dispels Wind-Dampness
   Wind-Damp Bi

Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.

Pinyin: Zao Jiao  Chinese: 皂角
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Gleditsiae Abnormalis
Taxonomy: Gleditsia sinensis
English: Abnormal Chinese Honeylocust Fruit / Soap bean

Tastes: Pungent, salty, warm, slightly toxic
Meridians Entered: Lung and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Dispels Phlegm
   Obstruction due to stubborn Phlegm impairing the normal descent of Lung Qi with cough or wheezing with copious sputum that is difficult to expectorate as well as Phlegm nodules
2. Opens the Orifices and revives the Spirit
   Sudden loss of consciousness with facial paralysis or seizures due to excessive Phlegm. (treats only the manifestation, combine with other herbs to treat the root)
3. Dissipates clumps and reduces swellings
   Initial stages of abscesses or boils Abscesses in which there is difficulty in discharging pus
4. Unblocks the bowels and expels roundworms as a suppository
   Constipation and Intestinal obstruction due to roundworms

Standard Dosage: 1-1.5g as pills or powder.
Cautions: Do not overuse orally to avoid vomiting and diarrhea. It has drastic pungent, strong property of pungent, distracting and moving and use with cautions for stubborn syndrome and strong body. Prohibited for pregnant women, qi and yin deficiency and who tends to bleed.

Pinyin: Bai Fan  Chinese: 白礬
Pharmaceutical: Alumen
Taxonomy: KAl(SO₄)₂·12H₂O
English: Alum

Tastes: Sour, astringent, cold
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen, Liver and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Relieves toxicity (Purges Fire), dries Dampness, kills parasites and alleviates itching
   External wash for Damp-Heat rashes (scabies, tinea)
   Swollen, painful throat or eyes
   Jaundice
2. Restrains and inhibits sores, generates flesh and transforms putrefication
   Topically for problems where toxins and pathogens have collected and clogged the channels, collaterals and muscles leading to blockage and Stagnation
   Topically for toxic sores (Chuang Yung)
3. Stops bleeding and alleviates diarrhoea
   Chronic diarrhoea, hemafecia, uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge
   Topically for epistaxis, hemorrhoidal bleeding, bleeding gums and bleeding due to external trauma
4. Clears Heat and expels Phlegm
   Wind-Phlegm (Heat) disorders with irritability, delirium, and convulsions
   Cough with sputum that is difficult to expectorate
5. Aids fasting
   The ore (Fan Shi) is mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of minerals which can, after sublimation, make the body light, prevent senility and lengthen life. This may suggest this was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生). However, it is not recommended for prolonged taking like most other superior minerals which is unusual since it is one of the least toxic minerals, often used in ancient times to purify drinking water.

Standard Dosage: 0.6-1g internally as powder or pills but more commonly used externally in washes.
Cautions: Do not use in large doses, or in kidney disease where the ability to excrete may be impaired resulting in aluminium toxicity. Symptoms include bone pain, muscle weakness, cognitive impairment, seizures, anaemia, and in severe cases, dementia.

Pinyin: Peng Sha  Chinese: 硼砂
Pharmaceutical: Borax
Taxonomy: Na₂[B₄O₅(OH)₄]
English: Borax

Tastes: Sweet, salty, cool
Meridians Entered: Lung and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Relieves toxicity and prevents putrefication
   Pain and swelling of the throat, open sores in the mouth, white, draining vaginal lesions (internally and topically)
2. Resolves toxicity, reduces swellings and treats the eyes
   Red, swollen and painful eyes and superficial visual obstruction. Can be used alone
3. Clears Heat and dissolves Phlegm
   Hot Phlegm obstruction with difficult-to-expectorate sputum (internal)
4. Dries Dampness and transforms stones
   Blisters between the toes (Dampness) Painful urinary dysfunction with stones

Standard Dosage: 1.5-3g as powder or pills for internal use.
Cautions: It is mostly indicated for external application. Ir should be used with cautions for internal application.