Hou Po
| 9-15g | | (ginger processed)
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Pinyin: Hou Po
Chinese: 厚朴
Pharmaceutical: Cortex Magnoliae
Taxonomy: Magnolia officinalis
English: Magnolia Bark
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Tastes: Bitter, pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Lung and Large Intestine
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Actions & Indications:
- 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.
- Promotes the movement of Qi downward, dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm
Dampness or Phlegm Obstructing the Middle Jiao with distention, fullness, nausea and diarrhoea
- Descends Rebellious Qi, reduces Phlegm and calms wheezing
Cough and wheezing due to Phlegm congesting the Lungs
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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. |
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Cao Dou Kou
| 6-9g | |
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Pinyin: Cao Dou Kou
Chinese: 草豆蔻
Pharmaceutical: Semen Alpiniae Katsumadai
Taxonomy: Alpinia Katsumada
English: Katsumada's Galangal Seeds
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Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Stomach
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Actions & Indications:
- Dries Dampness, warms the Middle Jiao, stops vomiting and strengthens the Spleen
Cold-Dampness Distressing the Spleen and Stomach with fullness, distention and pain in the epigastrium and abdomen with vomiting and diarrhoea
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Standard Dosage: 3-6g in decoction.
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Chen Pi
| 9-15g | |
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Pinyin: Chen Pi
Chinese: 陈皮
Pharmaceutical: Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae
English: Aged Tangerine Peel
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Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Lung
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Actions & Indications:
- 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)
- 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
- Helps prevent Stagnation from tonic herbs
Tonic herbs causing Stagnation
- Descends Qi
Qi Rebellion
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
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Mu Xiang
| 6-9g | |
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Pinyin: Mu Xiang
Chinese: 木香
Pharmaceutical: Radix Aucklandiae
English: Costus Root
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Tastes: Pungent, bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine and Gall Bladder
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Actions & Indications:
- Promotes the movement of Qi and alleviates pain
Spleen/Stomach Qi Stagnation with anorexia, a feeling of food sitting in the Stomach, epigastric or abdominal pain or distention, nausea and vomiting
Liver or Gallbladder Qi Stagnation with flank pain, distention or soreness
Relieves the symptoms of Gu Sydnrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
- Adjusts and regulates stagnant Qi in the Intestines
Intestinal Qi Stagnation with diarrhoea or dysenteric disorders, abdominal pain and tenesmus
- Strengthens the Spleen and prevents Stagnation
Stagnation from tonic herbs, especially when the transportive and transformative functions of the Spleen are weak
- Dispels Damp-Heat and harmonizes the Liver and Spleen
Disharmony of the Liver and Spleen with hypochondriac pain and distention, a bitter taste in the mouth, a yellow tongue coat and possibly jaundice
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
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Gan Jiang
| 1.5-6g | |
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Pinyin: Gan Jiang
Chinese: 干姜
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Zingiberis
Taxonomy: Zingiber officinale
English: Dried Ginger
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Tastes: Pungent, hot
Meridians Entered: Spleen, Stomach, Kidney, Heart and Lung
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Actions & Indications:
- Warms the Middle and expels Cold
External Cold affecting the Spleen and Stomach Spleen and Stomach Yang Deficiencies
- Dispels Wind-Dampness seeping into the Lower Jiao
Lower Jiao Wind-Cold-Damp Bi
- Rescues Devastated Yang and expels Interior Cold
Devastated Yang with a very weak pulse and cold limbs
- Warms the Lungs and transforms thin mucus
Lung Cold with expectoration of thin, watery or white sputum
- Warms the channels (unblocks the pulse) and stops bleeding
Hemorrhage due to Deficiency Cold, especially uterine bleeding (only if the bleeding is chronic and pale in color with cold limbs, ashen white face and a soggy thin pulse)
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Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for yin deficiency with internal heat and haemorrhage due to blood heat. |
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Fu Ling
| 9-12g | |
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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 Gan Cao
| 6-9g | |
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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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Sheng Jiang
| 4-6sl | | |
Pinyin: Sheng Jiang
Chinese: 生姜
Pharmaceutical: Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens
Taxonomy: Zingiber officinale
English: Fresh Ginger
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Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Lung, Spleen and Stomach
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Actions & Indications:
- Releases the Exterior, induces perspiration and disperses Cold
Wind-Cold
- Warms the Middle and stops vomiting
Cold in the Stomach especially with vomiting
- Warms the Lungs and stops coughing
Cough due to Wind-Cold Cough due to Lung Deficiency with Phlegm
- Reduces the toxicity of other herbs and seafood
Herb toxicity or seafood poisoning
- Adjusts the Ying and Wei - normalizes the flow of Qi at the center
Taiyang Zhong Feng - Wind-Cold with Deficiency
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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. |
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