Pinyin: Xiang Ru  Chinese: 香薷
Pharmaceutical: Herba Moslae seu Elscholtsiae
English: Aromatic Madder / Mosla / Elscholtzia

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

Actions & Indications:

1. Induces sweating, releases the Exterior, expels Summeheat, transforms Dampness and harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach
   Wind-Cold during the summer, especially when accompanied by Dampness with chills, fever, headache, anhidrosis, body aches, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting
   Externally contracted Summerheat or Dampness
2. Promotes urination and reduces swelling
   Edema and urinary difficulty especially if associated with external invasion

Standard Dosage: 6-15g in decoction. Small doses decocted for a short time are best for sweating, large doses decocted for a long time are better for inducing diuresis.

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. Expels Wind, scatters Cold and regulates the Blood
   The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing places in the middle class of woods and says "It mainly treats Wind-stroke, Cold damage, headache, Cold and Heat, fright qi, blood Bi and dead muscles."
5. Removes the Three Worms
   The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing also says 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: Bian Dou  Chinese: 扁豆
Pharmaceutical: Semen Lablab
Taxonomy: Lablab album
English: White Hyacinth Bean

Tastes: Sweet, slightly bitter
Meridians Entered: Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Clears Summerheat and resolves Dampness
   Summerheat with pronounced or chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, nausea, vomiting and loud borborygmus
2. Strengthens the Spleen
   Spleen Deficiency
3. Expels Gu Parasites
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 10-30g in decoction.
Cautions: Raw material is toxic. It should be stir baked for use.