Pinyin: Xiao Hui Xiang  Chinese: 小茴香
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Foeniculi
Taxonomy: Foeniculum vulgare
English: Fennel Seed

Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Liver, Kidney, Spleen and Stomach

Actions & Indications:

1. Warms the Liver and Kidneys, expels Cold and alleviates pain
   Cold in the Lower Jiao with lower abdominal pain
   Cold Invading the Liver Channel with Cold bulging disorders
2. Regulates Qi and harmonizes the Stomach
   Stomach Cold with abdominal pain, indigestion, reduced appetite and vomiting

Standard Dosage: 3-6g in decoction.

Pinyin: Bu Gu Zhi  Chinese: 補骨脂
Pharmaceutical: Fructus Psoraleae
Taxonomy: Psoralea cordyfolia
English: Psoralea Fruit / Scurf Pea Berry / Po Gu Zhi 破故紙

Tastes: Sweet, bitter, astringent, warm
Meridians Entered: Kidney, Spleen, Lung, Pericardium

Actions & Indications:

1. Tonifies the Kidneys, strengthens Yang, stabilizes Jing and astringes urine
   Impotence, premature ejaculation, enuresis, urinary frequency, a cold and painful lower back and extremities
   Wheezing and shortness of breath due to Kidneys not grasping the Lung Qi
   Weakening of Ming Men Fire
2. Tonifies and warms Spleen and Kidney Yang to stop diarrhoea
   Diarrhoea with borborygmus and abdominal pain
   Cock-crow diarrhoea
   Most appropriate for those with both Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
3. Warms the skin and regulates the blood (soaked in wine and applied topically)
   Cold-type psoriasis, vitiligo and eczema
   Hyperpigmentation
   Dry, dull or loose skin with fine lines or rough texture

Standard Dosage: 5-15g in decoction.
Cautions: Contraindicated in cases of Yin deficiency with effulgent Fire and constipation.

Due to the psoralen content which increases the response to UV light, patients should be advised to avoid excessive exposure to the sun or discontinue taking if traveling to a hot climate.

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: Jiu  Chinese: 酒
Pharmaceutical: Alcohol
English: Rice Wine

Tastes: Hot, pungent, sweet, bitter, toxic
Meridians Entered: Stomach, Heart, Lung and Liver, but reaches every part of the body

Actions & Indications:

1. Nourishes and moves Blood and Qi, opens the Meridians
   Taken internally or applied topically as the medium for liniments in Blood stasis, especially from trauma or Bi syndromes in the elderly
2. Warms Yang and Expels Cold
   All Cold syndromes including Cold Bi, Interior Cold and Yang deficiency
   Often serves as the basis for longevity "elixirs" by soaking Yang tonifying herbs
3. Strengthens the Shen, dispels sorrow and promotes happiness
   Temporary low mood, celebration

Standard Dosage: 10-60ml, two to three times per day. Often combined with other herbs to bring out their Blood moving or warming aspects by washing them, or adding to a decoction, or soaking herbs in alcohol to make medicinal wines.
Cautions: Caution with Damp-Heat syndromes or long term consumption in the young and middle aged.

The Materia Dietetica (Shiwu Bencao 食物本草) by Lu He 卢和 from the Ming Dynasty says that excess drinking can hurt the spirit and consume blood, damage the stomach and deplete the body fluid, produce phlegm and induce fire.