Class #: / 1 / Prof: / Violet Song
Need to know ratios between herbs in the formulas. Need to know toxic herbs and doses. Know the doses for emergency herbs too.
Reviewing: V will give paired up herbs for review – commonalities, differences. Differences between similar herbs.
General Stuff
Herbal Properties
Some q’s won’t directly test you about the nature, but will give q’s in which you have to know the temp in order to answer the question correctly.
–Nature (temperature)
Temperature of herbs may be reflected in questions – like you wouldn’t choose a hot herb for someone with heat, balah balah balah.
–Flavor
–Acrid: Disperse (Bo He), Move (qi: Xiang Fu, Blood, Chuan Xiong)
–Sweet: Tonify (Ren Shen), Relieve (Yi Tang), Harmonize ( Da Zao)
–Sour (acerbity) : astringent (Wu Mei)
–Bitter: Purge (Huang Lian, Xing Ren, Da Huang), Dry ( Cang Zhu)
–Salty: Soften (Kun Bu), Purge (Mang Xiao)
–Bland: diuresis (Fu Ling)
Channel tropism (what channel an herb goes to) is hard to memorize one at a time. Not all that necessary. Hard to memorize all of the channels an herb goes to. Combine function for this. Generally only 1-2 questions related to this. Can get a clue from the effect. Some are special, however. Example: bai zhi treats frontal headache, so Stomach. Qiang huo treats back of the head and thus Bladder.
Memorize these!!
–18 Incompatibilities
–Gan Cao with: Gan Sui, Da Ji, Yuan Hua, Hai Zao
–WU Tou/ Fu Zi with: Bei Mu, Gua Lou, Ban Xia, Bai Lian, Bai Ji
–Li Lu: 5 “shen” herbs (xuan shen, dang shen, etc.), 2 Shao Yao herbs, and Xi Xin
–19 Antagonisms
–Ding Xiang+ Yu Jin
–Rou Gui+ Chi Shi Zhi
–Pregnancy forbidden
–This is a high risk group. The board loves to test you on this. No blood movers for preggers – except Dan Shen. That’s ok.
•Dosages
Know this! Esp Gui Zhi and Bai Shao (1:1).
•Administration
–Morning
–Before meals (tonify)
–After meals (digestive)
–Before sleep
–Certain time
–Frequent taking (emergency rescue type, for pts who are vomiting – freq small doses)
Pediatric doses are also tested. 1/6th, 1/3rd of adult, etc.
New Born Baby (0-28days) / 1/6 of adult dose1 month - 1 year / 1/3 of adult dose
1-6 years / ½ of adult dose
7 – 12 years / 2/3 of adult dose
Over 12 years / Same as adult
Herbs-Release Exterior
General Information
•Herbs are predominantly: Acrid going to LU, UB channels
•Function to:
–Release exterior syndrome
–Disperse LU
–Promote diuresis /urination
–Vent rashes
•Caution for these herbs:
–Patient should stop when syndrome is controlled
–Not suitable for people with poor body constitution – combine with tonification herbs
–Should only be decocted for a short time because they contain aromatic/volatile oils – long term decoction will decrease effectiveness.
Herbs - Release Exterior: Wind/Cold
Ma Huang / Stronger for sweatingCalms wheezing
Promotes urination
Better for edema and wheezing than gui zhi / Common:
Promote sweating
Release exterior
Gui Zhi / Milder for sweating
Dredges and warms channels
Opens chest bi and yang
Zi Su Ye / Regulates Qi
Calms fetus
/ Common:
Release W/C
Harmonize/regulate Middle Jiao
Antidote for poisoning from fish
Sheng Jiang / Warms Middle Jiao to stop vomiting (#1 for this)
Warms Lung to stop coughing
Jing Jie / Vents rashes and stops itching
Tan form stops gynecological bleeding as this herb goes upward
/ Common:
Release exterior
Treats either WH or WC as both are very mild
Fang Feng / Treats dampness to stop pain and convulsions
Qiang Huo / Taiyang headaches
/ Common:
Release W/C
Relieve headaches due to WD
Gao Ben / Jueyin headaches (goes to LV ch)
Xi Xin / Strongest to stop pain
Most aromatic, strongest, harshest
Warms LU to resolve water retention
/ Common:
Open the nose
Stop pain (especially sinus pain)
Bai Zhi / Yangming/frontal headache
Astringes dampness in the upper - nose
Astringes dampness in the lower – vagina
Xin Yi Hua / Nothing special
Cang Er Zi / Slightly toxic – use chao/stir-fried version
Dries dampness
Often paired with Xin Yi Hua
Xiang Ru / Used in summer time / Common:
Release W/C
Promote urination, reduce edema
Ma Huang / Stoops wheezing/asthma
Release Exterior: Wind Heat
Bo He / Refreshes the mindBenefits throat (cools burning)
Soothes LV qi
/ Common:
Expels WH
Vents rashes
Niu Bang Zi / Expels both WH and heat toxins
Benefits throat (sore throat)
Eliminates sores
Chan Tui / Brightens eyes
Treats hoarse voice
Expels wind to stop convulsions
Night crying
Sang Ye / Stronger to release WH
Clear LU heat
Moisten dryness
/ Common:
Expel WH
Calm LV
Brighten eyes
Ju Hua / Stronger calm LV than Sang Ye
Clears heat toxins
Ge Gen / Weakest to lift yang
Pain/rigidity of upper back and neck
Moistens body fluids to stop thirst
Vents rashes
/ Common:
Release WH
Lift yang
Chai Hu / Medium in strength to lift yang
Treats shaoyang syndromes
Soothes LV
Sheng Ma / Strongest to lift yang
Clears heat toxins
Vents rashes
Man Jing Zi / Releases WH
Clears head
Stops headache
Dan Dou Chi / Releases exterior
Treats restlessness
often combined with Zhi Zi for this
Soy based – beware allergies/sensitivs
Herbs-Clear Heat
General Information
•These herbs clear interior Heat (not exterior)
•Cautions
–Herbs are cold or cool in nature and can damage Middle Jiao (esp MJ yang qi). Watch for loose stools and SP deficiency
–Stop taking them when syndrome is controlled
Drain Fire
Shi Gao / Sheng shi gao – very strong to clear excess heatShu shi gao – calcinated for plasters
/ Common:
Clear heat and drain fire
Eliminate restlessness due to excess heat and high fevers
Stop thirst
Zhi Mu / Nourishes yin and LU
Nourishes ST to increase body fluids
Treats dryness constipation
Tian Hua Fen / Stronger to promote body fluids
/ Common:
Clear heat
Promote body fluids
Relieve cough
Expel pus
Lu Gen / Milder to promote body fluids
Stops vomiting
Promotes urination
Lung channel
Zhi Zi / Drains through all 3 jiaos
Eliminates damp heat
Cools blood
Reduces toxicity
/ Common:
Clear heat
Eliminate restlessness
Promote body fluids
Promote urination
Dan Zhu Ye / Stronger to promote urination
Xia Ku Cao / Dissipate nodules d/t phlegm and fire
Lower blood pressure
/ Common:
Clear LV fire
Brighten eyes
Jue Ming Zi / Moisten intestines
Cool Blood
Sheng Di / More nourishing than xuan shenMore cloying than xuan shen
Promotes body fluids
Stops heat type bleeding / Common:
Clear heat, cool blood
Nourish yin
Moisten intestines
Xuan Shen / Dissipates nodules
Clears heat toxins
Mu Dan Pi / Better to cool blood
Specialty 1: eliminate deficient heat
Specialty 2: Treat internal (intestinal) abscesses
/ Common:
From similar botanical flowers
Clear heat/cool blood
Move blood, remove stasis
Chi Shao / Better to stop pain
Specialty 1: clears LV fire
Specialty 2: for external abscesses
Zi Cao / Clear heat, cool blood
Detoxifies
Vents rashes – diaper rash external but stains skin/clothing
Can cause LV damage taken internally
Shui Niu Jiao / Clear heat, cool blood
Detoxifies
For Xue stage of heat disease
Clear Heat/Dry Damp
Huang Qin / Upper jiaoCalm fetus
LU and LI fire / Common:
Clear heat
Dry damp
Detox
Huang Lian / Middle Jiao
Strongest for heat toxins
HT and ST fire
Huang Bai / Lower jiao
Yin deficiency with fire
Deficient fire
Long Dan Cao / Enters LV channel
Clears LV fire, excess heat/damp heat in LV / Common:
Clear heat
Dry damp
Ku Shen / Enters HT channel
Kills insects/stops itching
Promotes urination
Clear Heat/Relieve Toxicity
Jin Yin Hua / Stronger to clear heat toxinsClears summer heat / Common:
Often paired – couplet herbs
Clears heat toxins (longer cook time - acne)
Expels WH (shorter cook time)
Lian Qiao / Treats sores, carbuncles, skin issues
Promotes urination
Pu Gong Ying / Breast abscesses
Promote urination
Dispel dampness / Common:
Clear heat toxins
Zi Hua Di Ding / Abscesses – skin and skin issues
Ye Ju Hua / Calms LV
Yu Xing Cao / Lung abscesses
Promote urination
Bai Jiang Cao / Intestine, LU, LV abscesses
- Blood stasis
- Pain
Commonly used post-partum with blood stagnation causing pain
Hong Teng or Da Xue Teng / Intestinal abscesses
Moves blood, relieves pain
Da Qing Ye / Cool blood
Eliminates heat-related purpura / Common:
From same plant
Clears heat toxins, cools blood
Benefits throat
Ban Lan Gen / Benefits throat – specialty for this
Qing Dai / Clears LV
Calms convulsions
Treats LV fire invading LU with coughing of blood
She Gan / Eliminate phlegm / Common: Throat Grouping!
Sore throat
Clears heat toxins
Shan Dou Gen / Stronger to stop pain – very cold
Ma Bo / Stops bleeding, spitting blood, deep red spots on back of the throat. (Fungal – could cause allergic rx)
Bai Tou Weng / Amoebic dysentery - #1 choice / Common: Dysentery/diarrhea Grouping
Clear heat, cool blood
Stop dysentery
Ya Dan Zi / Kill insects
Treat malaria
Eliminate warts
Toxic – used in China for gastric cancers
Chuan Xin Lian / Clear heat toxins
Dry damp
Clear LU/heat, stop cough
Mostly respiratory stuff
Bai Xian Pi / Clear heat toxins
Dry damp
Expel wind
Stop itching
Ban Bian Lian / Clear hat toxins
Promote urination
Cancer – esp LV cancer
Bai Hua She She Cao / Cancer – esp GI tract
Tu Fu Ling / Essential for syphilis
Clear heat toxins
Dry damp
Mercury poisoning
Clear Deficient Heat
Qing Hao / Clear LV heatClear summer heat
Treat malaria / Common:
Clear xu heat
Cool blood
Di Gu Pi / Clear LU heat
Stop cough, cough + blood
Promote body fluids
(Bark of root of gou qi zi)
Bai Wei / Promote urination
Yin Chai Hu / / Common
Clear deficient heat
Eliminate/treat deficient heat assoc’d with malnutrition
Hu Huang Lian / Clear damp heat
Di Gu Pi / Clear LU heat
Stop cough / Common
Clear deficient heat
Cool blood
These aren’t from the same category
Mu Dan Pi / Move blood
Stop pain
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