Warm, Spicy herbs: Herbs that release the exterior Ma Huang Gui Zhi Zi Su Ye Jing Jie Fang Feng Qiang Huo Gao Ben Bai Zhi Xi Xin Sheng Jiang Cong Bai Xiang Ru Cang Er Zi Xin Yi Wind-Cold ( Superficial) Chills more than fever; white phlegm; sensations of cold; general muscle pain; white tongue coating; tight pulse All Go to Lu. & UB Digestive Sym. Nasal, Sinus, Headache General cold & flue Sym. Ma Huang; Gui Zhi; Qiang Huo; Gao Ben Zi Su Ye; Cong Bai; Sheng Jiang; Xiang Ru Bai Zhi; Xin Yi; Xi Xin; Cang Er Zi Jing Jie; Fang Feng
Part One Agents which disperse wind-cold from the lungs and move fluids through the urinary bladder Ma Huang 麻黄 Gui Zhi 桂枝 Qiang Huo 羌活 Gao Ben 藁本
Ma Huang 麻黄 (Warm) Pharmaceutical Name Actions (Excess) Ephedrae herba Induces sweating & releases the exterior Disseminates & facilitates the Lung Qi Reduce Edema Promote urination Warms & disperses cold pathogens Asthma ( Mi Zhi Ma Huang ) & cough No sweating ( Wind cold ) Edema with exterior sym. (10~15g) ( + Shi Gao 3:1) Wind-cold-damp Bi sym. Difficulty urination with exterior Sym. 2~ 9 g Cook Toxic dosage Contraindications 10~15 min 30 ~ 45 g Deficiency (asthma; exterior cold or wind ); Insomnia; High Blood Pressure or heart disease
Ma Huang (Warm) 麻黄 Herb Pairs of Ma Huang Formular Shi Gao Coughing & Asthma ( Lung Heat ) Ma Xin Shi Gan Tang Gui Zhi Exterior cold with no sweating ( Spicy warm to treat the exterior cold disease ) Ma Huang Tang Xing Ren Asthma & coughing ( Cold ) Ma Huang Tang Gan Jiang Asthma & Coughing ( cold ) Xiao Qing Long tang Bai Guo Asthma & Coughing Ding Chuan Tang Ge Gen Ge Gen 6 : Ma huang 1 Bai Zhu Exterior cold with tight neck and shoulder muscle Hyperostosis ( pain, and arm fingers numbness) Whole muscle pain due to winddampness
Gui Zhi 桂枝 (Warm) Pharmaceutical Name Actions Cinnamomi Ramulus Releases the exterior & assists the yang Warms & unblock the channels and collaters Warms the yang & transforms thin mucus Assists the Heart Yang & unblocks the yang qi of chest Warms the middle & direct turbid yin downward (Excess & Dfe.) Dosage Cook Toxic Sym. Exterior wind cold deficiency with sweat Edema Amenorrhea Damp in upper limbs 3 ~ 9 g Dizziness; dry; burning sensation in the urine; allergy
Gui Zhi (Warm) 桂枝 Contraindications Pregnant Heat or Yin def. Bleeding problems Combinations Formular Ma Huang Exterior cold with no sweating Ma Huang Tang Gan Cao Heart Yang Qi Def. (irritability) Gui Zhi Gan Cao Tang Bai Shao>Gui Zhi Bai Shao<Gui Zhi Fu Ling & Bai Zhu Gua Lou & Xie Bai ----Muscle & internal organs pain---- ----Warm & open the meridian (Bi Syn.) ---- Difficulty of urination Chest pain due to Ht. Yang blocked Gui Zhi Tang Chuan Xiong Sheng Jiang Fu Zi = Gui Zhi Fu Zi > Gui Zhi Fu Zi < Gui Zhi Sheng Di=Gui Sheng Di 5:2Gui Expel wind-dampness: pain in joints & limbs Cold stay in middle Jiao ----Cold hands and feet due to Yang Qi def.---- ---- Cold Bi Symptoms ---- ----Spontaneous Sweating ---- ---Move Qi & Blood to treat Bi Sym.--- ---Ht. blood def. & stag. : palpitation ---
Qiang Huo 羌活 (Warm) Pharmaceutical Name Actions (Excess) Dosage Cook Toxic Sym. Notopterygii Thizoma seu Radix Releases the exterior & disperses cold Unblocks painful obstruction & alleviates pain Guides Qi to the greater Yang channel Exterior wind cold Occipital headache Joints pain due to dampness Wind-Damp pain in upper body or upper limbs 3 ~ 9 g vomiting
Qiang Huo (Warm) 羌活 Contraindications Blood def. type pain Yang def. type headache Combinations Formular Du Huo Body or joints pain due to dampness Juan Bi Tang Fang Feng Headache or heaviness Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Tang Cang Zhu Heaviness of head Qiang Huo Shen shi Tang Jiang Huang & Gui Zhi Jing Jie & Fang Feng Arthritis due to dampness Exterior cold sym. Jing Fang Bai Du San
Gao Ben 藁本 Pharmaceutical Name Actions (Excess) Dosage Cook Toxic Sym. (Warm) Ligustici Rhizoma Discharge exterior conditions & disperse cold Disperse wind Overcomes Dampness & Alleviates pain Externally for skin fungus & scabies Exterior wind cold Vertex headache Joints pain & back pain due to dampness 3 ~ 9 g none
Contraindications Blood & Yin def. Heat disease Xi Xin Cang Zhu Wu Zhu Yu Bai Zhi & Chuan Xiong Qiang Huo Combinations Vertex headache, stiff neck, or toothache Lower back pain Abdominal pain headache Headache and stiff neck Formular Qiang Huo shen shi tang
Part two Agents which enter the lung channel and middle burner to disperse wind cold and warm the middle Zi Su Ye 紫苏叶 Cong Bai 葱白 Sheng Jiang 生姜 Xiang Ru 香薷
Sheng Jiang (Warm) 生姜 Pharmaceutical Name Zingiberis Rhizoma recens Discharge exterior conditions & disperse cold Actions Warms the middle burnner & alleviates vomiting Warms the lungs & stop cough Resolves toxicity Exterior wind cold (Excess) Dosage Coughing phlegm Food or herbs toxin ( Ban xia, Dan Nan Xing, Tian Nan Xing ) 3 ~ 9 g Cook Toxic Sym. In high dosages: Dry mouth, sore throat, epistaxis & nephritis
Shen Jiang (Warm) 生姜 Contraindications Fever due to yin def. Heat disease Jing Jie Combinations Exterior cold Formular Jing fang Bai Du San Gui Zhi Lower back pain Gui Zhi Tang Ban Xia Vomiting ( cold & phlegm ) Xiao Ban Xia Tang Zhu Ru & Huang Lian Vomiting ( phlegm-heat ) Da Zao Middle jiao disease Zi Su Ye & Xin Ren Coughing due to wind cold Zhi Sou San Sheng Jiang Gan Jiang Pao Jiang Vomiting or nausea due to cold in the ST. Spleen Yang def. with cold hands and feet Irregular menses due to cold in the lower Jiao
Zi Su Ye (Warm) 紫苏叶 Pharmaceutical Name Perillae folium Discharge exterior conditions & disperse cold Actions Circulate Qi & harmonize the middle Using during pregnancy Resolves seafood poisoning Exterior wind cold (Excess) Dosage Nausea, vomiting, or poor appetite Calming a restless fetus or morning sickness Sea food poisoning 5 ~ 9 g Cook Toxicity Raise blood sugar levels
Zi Su Ye (Warm) 紫苏叶 Contraindications Diabetes Sweating ( promotes sweating ) Shen Jiang Combinations Exterior cold Formular Xin Ren & Qian Hu Exterior cold: coughing & phlegm Xing Su San Xiang Fu & Chen Pi Exterior: Chest fullness Xiang Su San Huo Xiang Vomiting ( cold ) Huang Lian Vomiting ( Heat ) Bai Zhi Vomiting ( Food toxicity ) Chen Pi & Sha Ren Huo Xiang Restless fetus Gastroenteritis Huo Xiang Zhen Qi San
Cong Bai (Warm) 葱白 Pharmaceutical Name Allii fistulosi bulbus Release the exterior & inducing sweating Actions Disperse the cold & unblock the yang Resolves toxicity & disperse clumps Exterior wind cold (Excess) Dosage Abdominal pain & distension or nasal congestion Sores & abscesses ( external using ) 3 ~ 9 g Cook Toxicity none
Cong Bai (Warm) 葱白 Contraindications Not using with honey together Spontaneous sweating Combinations Dan Dou chi 淡豆豉 Exterior cold ( early stage ) ( no sweating ) Formular Dan Dou Chi Tang 淡豆豉汤 Sheng Jiang 生姜 Exterior cold: headache Da Zao 大枣 Fu Zi 附子 & Gan Jiang 干姜 Middle Jiao Abdominal pain & distension Chong Chi Tang 葱豉汤
Xiang Ru (Warm) 香薷 Pharmaceutical Name Elsholtziae seu Moslae, Herba Release the exterior & inducing sweating Actions Promote urination & reduce swelling Expel Summer heat Exterior wind cold ( no sweating ) (Excess) Dosage Edema ( less urination ) Summer heat ( thirsty, irritability, vomiting, diarrhea ) 3 ~ 9 g Cook Toxicity Vomiting
Xiang Ru (Warm) 香薷 Contraindications Spontaneous sweating Combinations Huo Xiang 藿香 Bai Bian Dou 白扁豆 Bai Zhu 白术 Summer exterior sym. (chest oppression, vomiting, abdominal pain ) Vomiting ( summer exterior sym.) Edema due to damp-cold Formular Huo Xiang Zhen Qi San 藿香正气散 Huang Lian & Hua Shi 黄连 滑石 Irritability & difficult urination Xin Jia Xiang Ru Yin 新加香薷饮 Bai Mao Gen 白茅根 Yi Mu Cao 益母草 Edema ( fever, no sweating, difficult urination )
Part three Agents which enter the lung channel to disperse wind and open the nose Bai Zhi 白芷 Xin Yi Hua 辛夷花 Xi Xin 细辛 Cang Er Zi 苍耳子
Bai Zhi (Warm) 白芷 Pharmaceutical Name Angelicae dahuricae Radix Expel wind & relieve pain Actions Expel dampness & alleviates discharges Opens the nose Reduce swelling & expel pus Exterior wind cold especially those with headache (Excess) Dosage Frontal headache Vaginal discharge due to damp cold ( or heat ) Congested sinus 3 ~ 9 g Cook Toxicity (30~60g) Vomiting, nausea, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, profuse sweating, high blood pressure, convulsions, restlessness, dyspnea, precordial pain, and even respiratory arrest
Contraindications Def. or heat in blood Vomiting due to fire Combinations Chuan Xiong 川芎 Exterior cold with headache Formular Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Tang 九味羌活汤 Shi Gao 石膏 Toothache ( St. heat ) Xi Xin 细辛 Bai Zhu 白术 Hai Piao Xiao 海螵蛸 Huang Bai 黄柏 Sinuses headache Vaginal Discharge ( dampcold ) Vaginal discharge ( dampheat )
Xin Yi Hua (Warm) 辛夷花 Pharmaceutical Name Magnoliae Flos Actions Expel wind-cold & unblocks the nasal passages Nasal Congestion (Excess) Dosage Cook Toxicity Runny nose Sinus problems Sinus headache 3 ~ 9 g Cover with gauze dizziness, red eyes, thirst & dry nose
Contraindications Pregnant women Vomiting due to fire Combinations Cang Er Zi 苍耳子 Shi Gao 石膏 Bo He 薄荷 Xi Xin 细辛 Bai Zhi 白芷 Nasal congestion & sinus headache For heat pattern of nasal congestion Improve its efficacy Formular Cang Er Zi San 苍耳子散 Xin Yi San 辛夷散 Ju Hua 菊花 Xi Xian Cao 西莶草 Mu Xiang 木香 Zhi Mu 知母 Huang Bai 黄柏 Frontal sinusitis Acute sinusitis
Xi Xin (Warm) (small toxin) 细辛 Pharmaceutical Name Asari Herba Disperse cold & releases the exterior Actions Disperse wind, disperse cold, & release pain Warms the lungs & transforms thin mucus Unblocking & facilitating the orifices Exterior wind cold with deficient yang (Excess) Dosage Cook Toxicity Aches & headache ( Shao Yin Headache) Cough with watery phlegm Various types of nasal congestion 1 ~ 3 g Longer than other exterior herbs headache, nausea, diaphoresis, restlessness, red face, tachypnea, cardiac arrhythmia, hypertension
Internal heat Contraindications Blood def. headache Qi Def. with sweating Combinations Formular Qiang Huo Fang Feng Bai Zhi Chuan Xiong Huang Lian Exterior cold with headache & sniff nose Headache Teeth ache due to St. fire Zi Yuan & Kuan Dong Hua Bai Zhi & Fang Feng Coughing with thin white phlegm Sinus
Cang Er Zi (Warm) small toxin 苍耳子 Pharmaceutical Name Xanthii Fructus Disperse wind Actions Drys damp Opens the nose Deep-source nasal congestion ( thick discharge, headache ) (Excess) Skin conditions with itching Wind damp pain Dosage 3 ~ 9 g Cook Toxicity Vomiting, nausea, anorexia, dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal pain
Contraindications Blood Def. Pain Combinations Xin Yi Hua 辛夷花 Bai Zhi 白芷 Nasal congestion & sinus headache Formular Cang Er Zi San 苍耳子散 Shi Gao 石膏 Bo He 薄荷 Fang Feng 防风 Bai Zhi 白芷 Gao Ben 藁本 Di Fu zi 地肤子 Cang zhu 苍术 Chan Tui 蝉蜕 Yellow discharge Severe headache radiating to the back of the head Itching ( due to wind rash or dampness-induced sores )
Part Four Agents which enter the lung & Liver channel to disperse wind Jing Jie 荆芥 Fang Feng 防风
Jing Jie (Warm) 荆芥 Pharmaceutical Name Schizonepetae Herba Release the exterior & dispels wind Actions Vents rashes & alleviates itching Stops bleeding Exterior Sym. ( either wind-cold or wind-heat ) (Excess) The initial stage of measles Hemorrhage ( blood in the stool or uterine ) Dosage 5 ~ 9 g Cook Toxicity Allergic reactions ( skin & digestion sys. )
Contraindications Deficiency of the exterior Combinations Liao Qiao 连翘 Jin Yin Hua 金银花 Bo He 薄荷 Chan Tui 蝉蜕 Ge Geng 葛根 Dang Gui 当归 Chuan Xiong 川芎 Zi Su Ye 紫苏叶 Huai Hua 槐花 Ce Bai Ye 侧柏叶 Wind-heat exterior sym. Initial stages of Measles Skin disorder due to wind Wind-cold exterior sym blood in stools Formular Yin Qiao San 银翘散 Xiao Feng San 消风散 Jin Fang Bai Du San 荆防败毒散 Huai Hua San 槐花散
Fang Feng (Warm) 防风 Pharmaceutical Name Saposhnikoviae Radix Release the exterior & dispels wind Actions Expel wind-damp & relieve pain Relieves spasms & tremors ( wind ) Exterior wind cold ( headache, body ache, stiff neck ) Painful obstructions (Excess) itching Diarrhea Dosage 5 ~ 9 g Cook Toxicity Allergic reactions ( skin & digestion sys. )
Contraindications Blood def. type disease Combinations Jing Jie 荆芥 Qing Jiao 秦艽 Cang Zhu 苍术 Huang Qi 黄芪 Bai Zhu 白术 JIng Jie 荆芥 Zi Su 紫苏 Bo He 薄荷 Wind-cold exterior sym. Pain due to Wind-damp (Joints) Spontaneous sweating Diarrhea with abdominal pain Skin rashes itching Formular Jin Fang Bai Du San 荆防败毒散 Yu Ping Fen San 玉屏风散 Tong Xie Yao Fang 痛泻要方