Pinyin: Wu Zhu Yu  Chinese: 吴茱萸
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Evodiae
Taxonomy: Evodia rutaecarpa
English: Evodia Fruit

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, hot, mildly toxic
Meridians Entered: Liver, Spleen, Stomach and Kidney

Actions & Indications:

1. Warms the Middle Jiao, disperses Cold, promotes the movement of Qi (relieves Stagnation in the Liver channel) and alleviates pain
   Stomach or Liver Channel Cold or Phlegm, with headache, epigastric pain with nausea, drooling, reduced taste, a pale tongue with a wiry or weak pulse
   Cold bulging disorders in the area traversed by the Liver channel and dysmenorrhea
   Disharmony between the Liver and Stomach
2. Spreads the Liver, descends rebellious Qi and stops vomiting
   Acid regurgitation and vomiting - can be used for either Hot or Cold disorders depending on the other herbs with which it is combined
3. Warms the Spleen, stops diarrhoea and expels Damp-Cold
   Diarrhoea from Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
   Damp-Cold Leg Qi
4. Leads Fire downward
   Mouth and tongue sores (grind into a powder, mix with vinegar and place on the soles of the feet)
5. Kills the Three Worms
   Said in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing that it kills 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: 1.5-4.5g in decoction.
Cautions: It is not suitable to be taken in large dosage for a long time, and contraindicated for yin deficiency with internal heat.

Pinyin: Rou Gui  Chinese: 肉桂
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Cinnamomi
Taxonomy: Cinnamomum cassia
English: Cinnamon Bark

Tastes: Pungent, sweet, hot
Meridians Entered: Kidney, Spleen, Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Warms the Kidneys, Spleen and Heart and strengthens Yang and Ming Men Fire
   Kidney Yang Deficiency and Deficiency of Ming-Men Fire with aversion to Cold, cold limbs, weak back, impotence and urinary frequency
   Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency with abdominal pain and Cold, reduced appetite and diarrhoea
   Kidney Unable to Grasp Qi
   Heart Yang Deficiency, particularly with chest Bi
2. Disperses deep Cold, warms the channels, unblocks the channels and vessels and alleviates pain
   Deep Cold causing Qi Stagnation or Blood Stasis with Cold in the Blood causing amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea, Cold-Damp Bi, Yin-type boils (chronic sores that are usually concave and ooze a clear fluid) and sores or abscesses that do not heal
   It enters the Blood aspect and, in small amounts, enhances the Blood moving action of other substances
3. Leads the Fire back to its source
   Upward Floating of Deficient Yang (False Heat, True Cold or Heat Above and Cold Below) with flushed face, wheezing, severe sweating (the sweat pours out like oil), weak and cold lower extremities and a deficient and rootless pulse
   Any condition with Heat in the Upper body (dry mouth, sore throat, or teeth which is worse at night) and Cold in the Lower body (Lower back pain, cold lower extremities, diarrhoea and weakness in the proximal portion of the pulse)
4. Assists in the generation of Qi and Blood
   Chronic Qi and Blood Deficiency (auxiliary)
5. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, enable one to communicate with spirits, make the body light, and prevent forgetfulness. 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: 1-5g in decoction. It should be decocted later.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for syndrome of yin deficiency with fire effulgent, haemorrhage due to blood heat and pregnant women. It is incompatible with Chi Shi Zhi (nineteen incompatibilities).

Pinyin: Sheng Jiang  Chinese: 生姜
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens
Taxonomy: Zingiber officinale
English: Fresh Ginger

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Releases the Exterior, induces perspiration and disperses Cold
   Wind-Cold
2. Warms the Middle and stops vomiting
   Cold in the Stomach especially with vomiting
3. Warms the Lungs and stops coughing
   Cough due to Wind-Cold Cough due to Lung Deficiency with Phlegm
4. Reduces the toxicity of other herbs and seafood
   Herb toxicity or seafood poisoning
5. Adjusts the Ying and Wei - normalizes the flow of Qi at the center
   Taiyang Zhong Feng - Wind-Cold with Deficiency

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with caution for yin deficiency with internal heat and heat exuberance because it helps promote fire and injure yin.

Pinyin: Hou Po  Chinese: 厚朴
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Magnoliae
Taxonomy: Magnolia officinalis
English: Magnolia Bark

Tastes: Bitter, pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Lung and Large Intestine

Actions & Indications:

1. Promotes the movement of Qi in the Middle Jiao and resolves Stagnation
   Abdominal, epigastric, and/or chest fullness, bloating, loss of appetite, poor digestion, constipation
   Plum Pit Qi, a feeling of a lump in throat, usually considered psychosomatic today (globus hystericus). Hou Po has modern indications as neuroprotective and also features in formulas like Da/Xiao Cheng Qi Tang which deal with neuropsychiatric symptoms like delirium.
2. Promotes the movement of Qi downward, dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
   Dampness or Phlegm Obstructing the Middle Jiao with distention, fullness, nausea and diarrhoea
3. Descends Rebellious Qi, reduces Phlegm and calms wheezing
   Cough and wheezing due to Phlegm congesting the Lungs
4. 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: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for the syndrome of qi deficiency and fluid consumption, and in pregnant women. Due to some of the anticoagulant effects of its constituents it should be used with caution in conjunction with blood thinners.

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: 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.