Pinyin: Sang Bai Pi  Chinese: 桑白皮
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Mori
Taxonomy: Morus alba
English: Mulberry Root Bark

Tastes: Sweet, cold
Meridians Entered: Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Drains Heat from the Lungs, stops coughing and calms wheezing
   Coughing and wheezing, fullness and hemoptysis due to Lung Heat
2. Promotes urination and reduces oedema
   Lung Heat obstructing the descending action of the Lung, preventing water from moving and stopping perspiration (floating oedema, facial oedema, swelling of the upper extremities, fever, thirst, urinary difficulty, a floating pulse)
3. Treats hypertension
   Hypertension

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for lung cold and wind-cold cough patients for its cold and descending property. It should be used with cautions for patients with much urine.

Pinyin: Sheng Jiang Pi  Chinese: 生姜皮
Pharmaceutical: Exocarpium Zingiberis Recentis
English: Ginger Peel

Tastes: Pungent, cool
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Lung

Actions:
Promote diuresis and relieve swelling.

Indications:
Difficult urination and edema

Standard Dosage: 1-3g in decoction.

Pinyin: Fu Ling Pi  Chinese: 茯苓皮
Pharmaceutical: Sclerotum Poriae excorio
Taxonomy: Poria cocos syn. Wolfiporia extensa
English: China-Root Peel

Tastes: Sweet, bland and neutral
Meridians Entered: Kidney and Bladder

Actions & Indications:

1. Promotes urination and leaches out Dampness
   Urinary difficulty, diarrhoea or oedema due to Stagnation of Fluids or Dampness
   Fluid Stagnation
   Damp-Heat
2. Strengthens the Spleen and harmonizes the Middle Jiao
   Spleen Deficiency Dampness with anorexia, diarrhoea and epigastric distention
3. 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
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

Standard Dosage: 15-30g in decoction.

Pinyin: Chen Pi  Chinese: 陈皮
Pharmaceutical: Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae
Taxonomy: Citrus spp.
English: Aged Tangerine Peel

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Regulates Qi, adjusts the Middle and relieves the diaphragm
   Spleen/Stomach Qi Stagnation with epigastric or abdominal distention, fullness, bloating, belching, nausea and vomiting
   Relieves the symptoms of Gu Sydnrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
2. Dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
   Phlegm-Damp Obstructs the Lung with coughing, a stifling sensation in the chest and/or diaphragm and copious, viscous sputum
   Turbid Damp Obstructs the Middle with a stifling sensation in the chest, abdominal distention, anorexia, fatigue, loose stools and a thick, greasy tongue coat
3. Helps prevent Stagnation from tonic herbs
   Tonic herbs causing Stagnation
4. Descends Qi
   Qi Rebellion
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, remove foul breath, precipitate the Qi, and enable one to communicate with spirits. 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: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Da Fu Pi  Chinese: 大腹皮
Pharmaceutical: Pericarpium Arecae
English: Betel Husk

Tastes: Pungent, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine and Small Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Descends Qi and eases the Middle
   Damp Stagnation in the Stomach and Intestines, Food Stagnation or Qi Stagnation in the Middle with epigastric and abdominal distention, focal distention, a stifling sensation and belching with acid regurgitation
   Especially useful when the above conditions are accompanied by incomplete or irregular bowel movements
2. Promotes urination and reduces oedema
   Abdominal distention accompanied by oedema, especially superficial oedema or symptoms of Food Stagnation
   Damp leg Qi

Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction.
Cautions: This herb is prohibited from use in the UK under the banned and restricted herbal ingredients list issued by the MHRA and so is generally substituted with Zhi Shi and Yu Li Ren.