In modern Japan it is used to treat oedema, angina pectoris and chronic bronchitis
Darkish complexion below the eyes and temples, depression, headache, dizziness, insomnia.
Gui Zhi
| 3g | |
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Pinyin: Gui Zhi
Chinese: 桂枝
Pharmaceutical: Ramulus Cinnamomi
Taxonomy: Cinnamomum cassia
English: Cinnamon Twig
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Tastes: Pungent, sweet, warm
Meridians Entered: Lung, Heart, Kidney, Liver
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Actions & Indications:
- Releases the Exterior, assists Yang, adjusts the Ying and Wei and releases the muscle layer
Taiyang Wind Strike (Taiyang Zhongfeng, 太阳中风) - a weak person who catches cold easily with spontaneous sweating, aversion to drafts, fever and chills, nasal congestion, stiff and aching head and muscles
- Warms the channels and collaterals to relieve pain
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi
- Unblocks Yang and transforms Qi and thin mucus
Edema due to Cold-Phlegm or Yang Qi Deficiency with urinary dysfunction, dizziness and palpitations
- Assists Heart Yang and warms and facilitates the flow of Yang Qi in the chest
Palpitations due to Yang Obstruction in the chest due to Stagnation or Deficiency
Listless chest Yang with upward movement of Phlegm and thin mucus and disorderly descent of Lung Qi with shortness of breath, chest and back pain and palpitations
Heart and Spleen Yang Deficiency
- Warms and facilitates the flow of Qi through the channels and collaterals and Blood through the vessels
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi
Blood Stasis due to Cold, causing amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea with or without abdominal masses
- Warms the Middle and directs Turbid Yin downward
Middle Jiao Yang Deficiency
Heart and Spleen Yang Deficiency (patient usually craves sweets)
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction for exterior conditions, or up to 15g for Bi Syndromes.
Cautions: This herb induces heat, damages the yin and moves blood. It is prohibited for those with warm pathogens, yin deficiency with effulgent fire, or reckless movement of the blood due to heat in the blood. Use with caution in pregnant women. |
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Fu Ling
| 5g | |
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Pinyin: Fu Ling
Chinese: 茯苓
Pharmaceutical: Poria
Taxonomy: Poria cocos syn. Wolfiporia extensa
English: China-Root / Hoelen / Tuckahoe / Indian Bread
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Tastes: Sweet, bland, neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart, Spleen, and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- Strengthens the Spleen and harmonizes the Middle Jiao
Spleen Deficiency Dampness with anorexia, diarrhoea and epigastric distention
- 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
- Promotes urination and leaches out Dampness
Urinary difficulty, diarrhoea or oedema due to Stagnation of Fluids or Dampness
- 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
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Standard Dosage: 9-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for spermatorrhea due to deficiency-cold. |
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Zhi Ban Xia
| 4g | |
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Pinyin: Ban Xia
Chinese: 半夏
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Pinelliae
Taxonomy: Pinellia ternata
English: Pinellia Rhizome
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Tastes: Pungent, warm, toxic
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen and Stomach
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Actions & Indications:
- Dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs (cough with copious sputum)
Especially effective for Damp-Phlegm of the Spleen (Cold-Damp Stagnation)
- Descends Rebellious Qi and stops vomiting (harmonizes the Stomach)
Vomiting due to Phlegm-Damp in the Stomach (Tan Yin), Cold thin mucus, Stomach Deficiency, Stomach Heat or pregnancy
- Dissipates nodules and reduces Stagnation (clumps)
Phlegm in the chest (nodules, pressure, distention, pain)
Phlegm nodules in the neck (goiter, scrofula)
Focal distension in the chest and epigastrium
Obstruction caused by Phlegm anywhere in the body
- Treats sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles and reduces swelling (external)
Topically as a powder for sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Contraindicated to Wu Tou. Use with cautions during gestation.
Must be processed before use as raw Ban Xia is toxic. Ingesting the raw form can cause severe irritation of the mouth, pharynx, and gastrointestinal tracts, and has toxic effects on the nervous system. Symptoms of toxicity include a dry mouth, numbness of the tongue, gastric discomfort, burning sensations and swelling of the mouth, tongue, throat and salivation. In serious cases ingesting Ban Xia can result in hoarseness, spasms, dyspnoea and asphyxia. |
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Mu Tong
| 4g | |
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Pinyin: Mu Tong
Chinese: 木通
Pharmaceutical: Caulis Akebiae seu Caulis Clematis
Taxonomy: Akebia trifoliata, A. quinata, A. trifoliata var. australis seu Clematis armandii
English: Akebia or Clematis Stem
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Tastes: Bitter, cool
Meridians Entered: Heart, Small Intestine and Bladder
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Actions & Indications:
- Promotes urination and unblocks painful urinary dysfunction
Damp-Heat Painful Urinary Dysfunction (Lin Syndrome) with dribbling, painful and rough urination
Oedema and ascites
- Drains Heart Heat through the Small Intestine
Small Intestine Shi Heat with irritability accompanied by mouth or tongue sores and scanty urination
- Promotes lactation and unblocks Blood vessels
Lactation Insufficiency
Amenorrhea and pain and stiffness of the joints (Heat Bi)
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Standard Dosage: 3-6g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for qi deficiency, spermatorrhea and pregnant women.
This herb is prohibited from use in the UK under the banned and restricted herbal ingredients list issued by the MHRA because it can also refer to Aristolochia manshuriensis (Guan Mu Tong) which contains toxic aristolochic acid. In some European countries with statutory testing of imports the species can be identified but the UK has chosen to ban all species to avoid regulation. It is generally substituted with Qu Mai or Tong Cao. |
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Sang Bai Pi
| 3g | |
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Pinyin: Sang Bai Pi
Chinese: 桑白皮
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Mori
Taxonomy: Morus alba
English: Mulberry Root Bark
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Tastes: Sweet, cold
Meridians Entered: Lung
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Actions & Indications:
- Drains Heat from the Lungs, stops coughing and calms wheezing
Coughing and wheezing, fullness and hemoptysis due to Lung Heat
- 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)
- Treats hypertension
Hypertension
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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. |
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Bing Lang
| 4g | |
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Pinyin: Bing Lang
Chinese: 槟榔
Pharmaceutical: Semen Arecae
Taxonomy: Areca catechu
English: Betel Nut
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Tastes: Bitter, pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Stomach and Large Intestine
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Actions & Indications:
- Kills Parasites and expels Demons
Kills a wide variety of Intestinal parasites including fasciolopsis, pinworms, roundworms and Blood flukes Best for tapeworms
Drains downward to expel the bodies of dead parasites
Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
- Regulates Qi, reduces accumulations, drains downward and unblocks the bowels
Food Stagnation and Qi Stagnation with abdominal distention, constipation or tenesmus
- Promotes urination
Damp leg Qi and oedema due to Excess
- Treats malarial disorders
Malarial disorders
- Relieves nausea
Nausea
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for loose stool due to spleen insufficiency or qi sinking. Use with caution for pregnant women.
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 Yi Li Ren, or Fei Zi and Yu Li Ren for expelling parasites. |
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Zi Su Zi
| 2g | |
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Pinyin: Zi Su Zi
Chinese: 紫蘇子
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Perillae
English: Perilla Seed
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Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Lung and Large Intestine
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Actions & Indications:
- Stops coughing, calms wheezing, descends Qi and dissolves Phlegm
Coughing and wheezing with copious Phlegm due to Phlegm accumulation
Especially useful when exhalation is more labored than inhalation with a stifling sensation in the chest
- Moistens the Intestines and unblocks the stool
Constipation due to dry Intestines
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Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for cough and dyspnea due to yin deficiency or loose stool due to spleen deficiency. |
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Bie Jia
| 4g | |
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Pinyin: Bie Jia
Chinese: 鳖甲
Pharmaceutical: Carapax Trionycis
English: Soft Turtle Shell
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Tastes: Salty, cold
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- Nourishes Yin and anchors Yang
Yin Deficiency with fever, steaming bone disorder, night sweats or consumption
Internal stirring of Liver Wind
- Invigorates the Blood, promotes menstruation, softens hardness and dissipates nodules
Chest and flank accumulations with pain and amenorrhea
Excessive menstruation due to Hot Blood
Malarial disorders with palpable masses
- Heavily anchors, descends, unblocks and facilitates the functions of the Blood vessels
Problems in children due to internal clumping
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Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.
Cautions: Animal products are prohibited from use in the UK under the Medicines Act 1968 ch. 67 which restricts herbalists to the use of plant products only. It is generally substituted with Qing Hao and Sheng Di Huang, or Huang Jing.
Turtles may also act as viral reservoirs and have been proposed as the potential intermediate host for coronavirus between bats and humans (Liu et al., 2020. |
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Zhi Shi
| 4g | |
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Pinyin: Zhi Shi
Chinese: 枳实
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Aurantii Immaturus
Taxonomy: Citrus aurantium
English: Immature Seville Orange / Immature Bitter Orange / Immature Sour Orange
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Tastes: Pungent, bitter, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach and Large Intestine
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Actions & Indications:
- Breaks up Stagnant Qi, reduces accumulation, descends Qi, unblocks the bowels and removes Stagnant Food
Qi Stagnation and accumulation with epigastric or abdominal pain and distention or indigestion with focal distention or gas
Food Stagnation
- Transforms Phlegm, reduces distention and resolves hardenings
Turbid Phlegm Obstructing the Qi with focal distention and fullness in the chest and epigastrium
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for pregnant women. |
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Wu Zhu Yu
| 3g | |
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Pinyin: Wu Zhu Yu
Chinese: 吴茱萸
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Evodiae
Taxonomy: Evodia rutaecarpa
English: Evodia Fruit
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Tastes: Pungent, bitter, hot, mildly toxic
Meridians Entered: Liver, Spleen, Stomach and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- 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
- 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
- Warms the Spleen, stops diarrhoea and expels Damp-Cold
Diarrhoea from Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
Damp-Cold Leg Qi
- Leads Fire downward
Mouth and tongue sores (grind into a powder, mix with vinegar and place on the soles of the feet)
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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. |
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Gan Cao
| 2g | | |
Pinyin: Gan Cao
Chinese: 甘草
Pharmaceutical: Radix Glycyrrhizae
Taxonomy: Glycyrrhiza uralensis seu glabra seu inflata
English: Liquorice Root
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Tastes: Sweet, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Lung and Spleen (and all 12 meridians)
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Actions & Indications:
- 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
- Moistens the Lungs, resolves Phlegm and stops coughing
Lung Heat or Cold
Productive or non-productive coughing
- Moderates spasms and alleviates pain
Painful muscle spasms of the abdomen and legs
- Clears Heat and relieves Fire toxicity
Raw for Toxic Heat with sore throat or carbuncles and sores (Chuang Yung)
- Antidote for many toxic substances (internal and topical)
Poisoning
- 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
- Tonifies the Qi while suppressing Parasites
Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
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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. |
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