Pinyin: Xue Jie  Chinese: 血竭
Pharmaceutical: Sanguis Draconis
Taxonomy: Calamus draco seu rotang seu didymophyllus seu Dracaena draco seu cinnabaris seu cochinchinensis seu Croton lechleri seu draconoides seu palanostigma seu perpecosus seu rimbachii seu sampatik seu erythrochilus seu Pterocarpus officinalis
English: Dragon's Blood / Calamus Resin / Dracaena Resin / Croton Resin

Tastes: Sweet, salty, neutral
Meridians Entered: Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis and alleviates pain
   Pain from Blood Stasis, especially due to traumatic injury such as injury from falls, fractures, contusions and sprains
2. Stops bleeding
   Applied topically for bleeding due to external injury
3. Protects the surface of ulcers, prevents decay and generates flesh
   Chronic non-healing ulcers and cancers

Standard Dosage: 1-2g in pill or powder for internal use.

Pinyin: San Qi / Tian Qi  Chinese: 三七 / 田七
Pharmaceutical: Radix Notoginseng
Taxonomy: Panax notoginseng
English: Pseudoginseng Root

Tastes: Sweet, slightly bitter, warm
Meridians Entered: Stomach and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Stops bleeding without causing Blood Stasis
   Internal and external bleeding including hematemesis, epistaxis, hematochezia, metrorrhagia, bloody dysentery, menorrhagia, and hematuria, dizziness, pain
2. Invigorates the Blood without damaging the Blood
   Chest and abdominal pain and joint pain due to Blood Stasis
   Sores, carbuncles and snake and animal bites, conjunctivitis
   Hypertension (Pan et al., 2012)
   Cancer
3. Reduces swelling, alleviates pain and removes extravasated Blood
   Traumatic injury with swelling and pain, including falls, fractures, contusions and sprains, stab wounds, pain, dizziness and post-natal Blood retention
4. Relieves the symptoms of Gu Sydnrome while suppressing parasites (Fruehauf, 1998)
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction. 1-1.5g as powder or pills.
Cautions: Use with cautions for pregnant women.

Pinyin: She Xiang  Chinese: 麝香
Pharmaceutical: Moschus
English: Musk

Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Heart, Liver and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Strongly opens the Orifices and Luo vessels, revives the Spirit and unblocks closed disorders
   Ying Stage Heat Attacks the Pericardium due to a Warm pathogen disease with convulsions, delirium, stupor and fainting
   Closed disorders (Yang Obstruction, Yin Obstruction, Phlegm Obstruction) Tetanic collapse Seizures
2. Invigorates the Blood, dissipates masses, reduces swellings, detoxifies, opens the channels and alleviates pain
   Severe problems due to Blood Stasis including fixed palpable masses, toxic sores and carbuncles
   Obstructions of the channels and collaterals due to traumatic injury or painful obstruction
   Coronary artery disease
3. Hastens delivery and facilitates the passage of stillborns (induces abortion)
   Labour
   Dead fetus or placenta fail to descend
4. Aids fasting
   Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of animal parts which can, with protracted taking, eliminate evils, and stop dreams (梦) and waking from nightmares (寤魇寐). 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).
5. Removes the Three Worms
   Said in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing 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: 0.03-1g as pills or powder. Should not be decocted.
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 Shi Chang Pu and Ru Xiang.

Pinyin: Zhang Nao  Chinese: 樟脑
Pharmaceutical: Camphorae
Taxonomy: Cinnamomum camphora
English: Camphor

Tastes: Pungent, hot, slightly toxic
Meridians Entered: Heart and Spleen

Actions & Indications:

1. Expels Wind and Dampness and kills parasites
   Wind-Damp skin lesions
   Scabies, tinea and itching sores
2. Opens the Orifices and expels turbidity
   Delirium and loss of consciousness due to Hot disorders
3. Invigorates the Blood, Disperses Cold and alleviates pain
   Topically for Blood Stagnation due to traumatic injury (injuries from falls, fractures, contusions, sprains pain and swelling)
   Toothache

Standard Dosage: 0.06-0.15g as powder or pills. It should not be decocted.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for qi deficiency and pregnant women. It should be used very carefully for people with skin allergy. It should not be overdose for qi deficiency when taking orally.

Pinyin: Bo He  Chinese: 薄荷
Pharmaceutical: Herba Menthae haplocalycis
Taxonomy: Mentha haplocalyx
English: Field Mint / Wild Mint

Tastes: Pungent, cool
Meridians Entered: Lung and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Disperses Wind-Heat, cools and clears the head and eyes and benefits the throat
   Wind-Heat with fever, cough, headache, red eyes and a sore throat
2. Vents rashes
   Early-stage rashes e.g. measles
3. Relieves Stagnation of Liver Qi
   Liver Qi Stagnation with pressure in the chest or flanks, emotional instability and gynecological problems
4. Expels turbid filth
   Exposure to unclean Qi in the Summertime leading to gastric distress with abdominal pain, vomiting. diarrhoea and a thick, yellow, greasy tongue coat
5. Releases the Exterior and Drives Out Snakes
   Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015)
   One of the chief herbs for treating Gu Syndrome, along with Bai Zhi and Zi Su Ye, classed as "open the exterior with snake killing herbs" (Fruehauf, 1998).

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Hong Hua  Chinese: 红花
Pharmaceutical: Flos Carthami
English: Safflower

Tastes: Pungent, warm
Meridians Entered: Heart and Liver

Actions & Indications:

1. Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis, opens the channels, unblocks menstruation and alleviates pain
   Blood Stasis, especially in women for gynecological problems such as abdominal pain, amenorrhea, postpartum dizziness, retained lochia and abdominal masses
   Trauma, non suppurative sores, carbuncles and dark, purplish erythema
   Incomplete expression of rash of measles
   Chest Bi due to Blood Stasis

Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Pinyin: Bing Pian  Chinese: 冰片
Pharmaceutical: Borneolum
Taxonomy: Dryobalanops aromatica
English: Borneol Camphor

Tastes: Pungent, bitter, slightly cold
Meridians Entered: Heart, Liver and Lung

Actions & Indications:

1. Aromatically opens the Orifices, revives the Spirit and unblocks closed disorders
   Impaired consciousness fainting and convulsions
2. Clears Heat, drains Fire, resolves toxicity, clears the eyes and removes superficial visual obstructions
   Heat leading to headache, red and swollen eyes, superficial visual obstruction and sores in the mouth
3. Clears Heat, alleviates pain, dissipates nodules and alleviates itching
   Topically for pain and swelling of the throat, skin diseases such as sores and scabies, and eye diseases such as photophobia and excessive tearing

Standard Dosage: 0.1-0.3g in powder or pills for internal use. Should not be decocted.
Cautions: It should be used with cautions for pregnant women.

Mineral 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. While natural Bing Pian is a crystalised tree resin, the Dryobalanops aromatica is critically endangered making genuine Bing Pian expensive and morally questionable. Most Bing Pian is therefore synthetically made and not suitable for consumption. It is generally substituted with Shi Chang Pu and Yuan Zhi where possible.

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.