Shu Di Huang
| 24g | |
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Pinyin: Shu Di Huang
Chinese: 熟地黄
Pharmaceutical: Radix Rehmanniae Preparata
Taxonomy: Rehmannia glutinosa
English: Prepared Chinese Foxglove Root
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Tastes: Sweet, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Kidney and Liver
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Actions & Indications:
- Nourishes the Blood
Blood Deficiency with facial pallor, dizziness, palpitations, insomnia, irregular menstruation, uterine bleeding and postpartum bleeding
- Nourishes Liver and Kidney Yin
Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency with a weak low back and limbs, dizziness, tinnitus, tidal fevers, night sweats and nocturnal emissions
- Strongly enriches Yin and relieves wasting and thirsting disorder
Lower Jiao wasting (it can be used as a stand-alone herb for this)
- Nourishes Jing and Blood and fills the Marrow
Exhausted Jing and Blood problems such as delayed development during childhood, blunted affect, premature aging, diminished mental acuity, graying of hair, impotence and memory loss
- Arrests coughing and wheezing
Kidney Deficient coughing, wheezing and asthma, such as inability of the Kidneys to grasp Qi
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Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for spleen and stomach deficiency, loose stool due to fullness in abdomen and qi stagnation with excessive phlegm because it is greasy and will produce indigestion. |
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Shan Zhu Yu
| 24g | |
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Pinyin: Shan Zhu Yu / Shan Yu Rou
Chinese: 山茱萸 / 山萸肉
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Corni
Taxonomy: Cornus officinalis
English: Dogwood Fruit
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Tastes: Sour, slightly warm
Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- Stabilizes the Kidneys and astringes Jing and Body Fluids
Leakage of fluids due to weak Jing with urinary frequency, incontinence, spermatorrhea and excessive sweating
- Stops excessive sweating and supports that which has collapsed
Collapse of Qi with excessive sweating and shock
Devastated Yang with excessive sweating and shock
Sweating mistakenly induced as a treatment
- Tonifies Liver and Kidney Yin and strengthens Kidney Yang
Lightheadedness, dizziness, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees or impotence due to Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency and Kidney Yang Deficiency
- Stabilizes the menses and stops bleeding
Excessive uterine bleeding and prolonged menstruation due to Deficiency (weak effect)
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Standard Dosage: 5-10g in decoction.
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Shan Yao
| 24g | |
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Pinyin: Shan Yao
Chinese: 山药
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Dioscoreae
Taxonomy: Dioscorea polystachya syn. batatas
English: Chinese Yam
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Tastes: Sweet, neutral
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Lung and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- Tonifies the Spleen, nourishes Stomach Yin and stops diarrhoea
Spleen or Stomach Deficiency with diarrhoea, fatigue, spontaneous sweating and anorexia
- Tonifies Lung Qi and nourishes Lung Yin
Lung Qi and/or Yin Deficiency with chronic cough
- Tonifies Kidney Yin and astringes Jing
Kidney Qi Deficiency with spermatorrhea, urinary frequency and vaginal discharge
Xiao Ke due to Qi and Yin Deficiency
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Standard Dosage: 5-30g in decoction. Very large doses, up to 500g have been used in trials for diabetes management.
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Mu Dan Pi
| 24g | |
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Pinyin: Mu Dan Pi
Chinese: 牡丹皮
Pharmaceutical: Cortex radicis Moutan
Taxonomy: Paeonia suffruticosa
English: Tree Peony Root Bark / Moutan Peony Root Bark
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Tastes: Bitter, pungent, light cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Liver and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- Clears Heat and cools (and harmonizes) the Blood
Xue Stage Heat with epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematemesis or subcutaneous bleeding
Menorrhagia due to Blood Heat
- Clears Deficiency Fire
Yin Deficiency Heat signs especially in the aftermath of Warm Febrile Disease with fever at night and coolness in the morning (most appropriate when the is no sweating)
- Invigorates the Blood and dispels Blood Stasis
Blood Stasis with amenorrhea, abdominal masses, lumps or bruises due to trauma
Liver Blood Stagnation
- Clears Liver Fire
Liver Fire with headache, eye pain, flank pain, flushing and dysmenorrhea
- Drains pus and reduces swelling
Non-draining sores (topical)
Intestinal abscesses (internal)
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Standard Dosage: 6-12g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of profuse menstruation and pregnant women. |
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Fu Ling
| 23g | |
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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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Ze Xie
| 15g | |
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Pinyin: Ze Xie
Chinese: 澤瀉
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Alismatis
Taxonomy: Alisma plantago-aquatica seu orientale
English: Water Plantain Rhizome
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Tastes: Sweet, bland, cold
Meridians Entered: Kidney and Bladder
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Actions & Indications:
- Promotes urination and leaches out Dampness
Stagnation due to Dampness with urinary difficulty, painful urinary dysfunction, diarrhoea and dizziness
Especially useful for Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao
- Settles Ministerial Fire in the Kidneys by draining Damp-Heat from the lower Jiao
Spermatorrhea due to Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao disturbing the ministerial Fire of the Kidneys
- Drains Kidney Fire
Kidney Yin Deficiency with Fire Rising
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Standard Dosage: 4.5-15g in decoction. Sometimes up to 30g in extreme cases.
Cautions: Overdose, extended use or combination with diuretic drugs could cause electrolyte imbalance due to diuretic effect. |
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Wu Wei Zi
| 15g | |
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Pinyin: Wu Wei Zi
Chinese: 五味子
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Schisandrae
Taxonomy: Schisandra chinensis
English: Schisandra Fruit / Chinese Magnolia-vine Fruit
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Tastes: Sour, sweet, warm
Meridians Entered: Lung, Heart and Kidney
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Actions & Indications:
- Astringes the leakage of Lung Qi and stops coughing
Chronic cough and wheezing due to Lung Qi Deficiency
Lung and Kidney Deficiency patterns
- Tonifies the Kidneys, binds up Essence (astringes Jing) and stops diarrhoea and spermatorrhea
Kidney Deficiency with nocturnal emissions, spermatorrhea, vaginal discharge and urinary frequency
Spleen and Kidney Deficiency with daybreak diarrhoea
- Astringes sweat and generates fluids
Excessive sweating. especially when accompanied by thirst or a dry throat
In combination, it is used for spontaneous sweating, night sweats and wasting and thirsting disorder
- Quiets the Spirit and calms and contains Heart Qi
Heart and Kidney Blood and Yin Deficiency, with irritability, palpitations, dream-disturbed sleep and insomnia
- Tonifies Qi
Heart and Spleen Qi Deficiency
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Standard Dosage: 3-6g in decoction. 1-3g as powder.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of external pathogen existence, internal excess heat, acute cough, early stage of measles. |
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Zhi Huang Qi
| 30g | | |
Pinyin: Huang Qi
Chinese: 黄芪
Pharmaceutical: Radix Astragali
Taxonomy: Astragalus membranaceus
English: Astragalus Root / Mongolian Milkvetch Root
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Tastes: Sweet, warm
Meridians Entered: Lung and Spleen
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Actions & Indications:
- Tonifies Qi and Blood
Postpartum fever due to Qi and Blood Deficiency
Recovery from severe Blood loss
- Strengthens the Spleen and raises the Yang Qi of the Spleen and Stomach
Spleen Qi Deficiency with anorexia, fatigue and diarrhoea
Central Qi Sinking (prolapse)
Lung and Spleen Qi Deficiency
Qi Failing to contain Blood
Qi and Blood Deficiency
Fever from Qi Deficiency
- Tonifies Wei Qi, stabilizes the Exterior and tonifies the Lungs (aids circulation of moisture downward from the face)
Wei Qi Deficiency with spontaneous sweating
Lung Qi Deficiency with frequent colds or shortness of breath
Excessive sweating associated with Qi, Yang or Yin Deficiency
Dampness in the head
- Promotes urination and reduces oedema
Spleen Deficiency oedema or superficial oedema with reduced urination (It can be used as a stand-alone herb for this)
- Promotes the discharge of pus, generates flesh and expels toxins
Chronic ulcerations and sores that either have trouble forming pus or have formed pus but are not draining well
- Generates Body Fluids
Wasting and thirsting disorder (Xiao Ke)
Bi Syndrome with numbness of the limbs and paralysis
- Relieves numbness and pain
Numbness and pain due to Deficiency of Qi and Blood
- Tonifies the Qi while suppressing Parasites
Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998)
Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
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Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction. Large dosages of up to 30g can be used for severe debilitation, Blood deficiency or unhealing sores (e.g. Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang).
Cautions: It is contraindicated in cases of exterior excess with excessive pathogen, internal obstruction, yin deficiency with yang hyperactivity, early stage of sores and ulcers of excessive pathogen and no deficiency of heathy qi, because it can tonify qi, raise yang and strengthen superficial.Caution with patients on immunosuppressents due to its immune modulating effects. |
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