Today, Brother Jie will discuss these four herbs, which may not be favored by everyone. Why? Because they are all bitter herbs, cold herbs, and purgative herbs.Everyone thinks they are very deficient, and these bitter cold herbs are useless for them.But I tell you, the current basics are almost never purely deficient; more often, they are a mix of deficiency and excess, with cold and heat alternating.The terms “purgation” and “diarrhea” are not the same; purgation refers to expelling what the organs do not like, not just any kind of diarrhea.What the five organs dislike must be purged. Using purgation instead of supplementation, we clear heat and detoxify.Alright, enough of the preamble, let’s get to the main topic.Commonly Used Chinese Herbs: Huang Lian, Huang Qin, Huang Bai, and Zhi Zi.Huang Lian (Coptis) is bitter, purges the heart, relieves fullness, clears heat, brightens the eyes, and thickens the intestines to stop diarrhea.Huang Lian is bitter, and there is a custom in folk medicine where newborns are given two types of water.One is licorice water, and the other is Huang Lian water. Licorice detoxifies, while Huang Lian clears various fires.Huang Lian water also symbolizes the idea of “bitter first, sweet later.” Having tasted the world’s bitterest, you will not suffer from future difficulties.Huang Lian is bitter: Bitter herbs have the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, purging fire, drying dampness, and killing parasites.For example, in cases of pediatric gastric heat causing vomiting, it can also prevent milk rash, eczema, and other skin infections caused by fire toxins.Licorice can moderate the bitter cold nature of Huang Lian, preventing it from harming the spleen and stomach.However, Huang Lian is very potent, and the dosage must be small; if too large, it can indeed harm the spleen and stomach.Skin infections are caused by fire toxins. When skin infections first appear, a bump forms on the skin, red and hard, like an eruption of fire, and it hurts when touched.When this skin infection first appears, there is a very effective formula.That is the “Huang Lian Detoxifying Decoction,” which consists of 9 grams of Huang Lian, 9 grams of Zhi Zi (Gardenia), 6 grams of Huang Qin (Scutellaria), and 6 grams of Huang Bai (Phellodendron), boiled in water to drink, which can quickly reduce fire toxins.If there is constipation or very sticky stools, add 5 grams of Da Huang (Rhubarb); once the stool is passed, it is more effective than any anti-inflammatory medication.Whether it is oral ulcers, sore throat, or acute gastritis pain, as long as it is acute swelling and pain, the four herbs in Huang Lian Detoxifying Decoction can alleviate it.Purge the heart and relieve fullness,To purge the heart means to expel the fire from the heart.Our heart is inherently associated with fire, making it particularly prone to excess heat, which leads to irritability and anger.Some people have a very bad temper, cursing at anyone they see, always looking for a fight.At this time, you should give them some bitter herbs, a bit of Huang Lian, to purge the heart fire; once the heart fire is purged, their temper will improve, and soon they will shake hands with you in reconciliation.If the heart fire is intense, causing irritability and insomnia, then use the “Huang Lian and Ejiao Decoction.” This decoction consists of 10 grams of Huang Lian, 6 grams of Huang Qin, 6 grams of Shao Yao (Peony), 2 egg yolks, and 9 grams of Ejiao (Donkey-hide Gel), nourishing yin and blood, eliminating deficiency heat, calming the mind.To relieve fullness, this “fullness” is a product of dampness and fire mixed together.There are two types of fullness: one is fullness and the other is hardness.Fullness is common; sometimes you feel hungry, the food looks good, but you can’t eat much; after eating a little, you feel bloated.Now that material conditions are abundant, with daily rich foods, fish generates heat, meat generates dampness, and greasy foods cause spleen and stomach damp-heat, leading to abdominal fullness.This fullness is not the same as gastric distension, but gastric distension is part of fullness.People with heavy damp-heat often feel drowsy, irritable, and easily angered.As for hardness? This should not be difficult to understand.The most common is in the chest, feeling something is blocked, lacking appetite; some can even feel a hard lump when they touch it.If you press and knead it, that blocked hard lump will disappear.To treat heart fullness, there is a very effective formula: “Ban Xia Xie Xin Decoction,” which consists of 12 grams of Ban Xia (Pinellia), 9 grams of Huang Qin, 9 grams of Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), 9 grams of Ren Shen (Ginseng), 3 grams of Huang Lian, 7-8 pieces of Da Zao (Jujube), and 9 grams of Licorice.In this formula, Ban Xia and Huang Lian are pungent and bitter, opening and descending, while Ren Shen, Da Zao, and Licorice nourish the middle jiao.For children with oral ulcers, use 5 grams of Huang Lian and 10 grams of Licorice to gargle. The remaining liquid can be swallowed slowly to clear heat and heal ulcers.During festivals, when eating too much rich food, if there is stomach fire causing toothache, use the San Huang Xie Xin Decoction, which consists of 3 grams of Huang Lian, 5 grams of Da Huang, and 10 grams of Huang Qin to clear stomach fire and relieve toothache.Clear heat and brighten the eyes:If there is excess heat, the eyes become swollen and painful; use Huang Lian.Huang Lian is a good medicine for eye diseases and can treat various eye conditions.There was a patient whose eyes were red, swollen, and painful. After visiting an ophthalmologist, he was diagnosed with iritis.He took many anti-inflammatory medications but saw no effect. When he came to Brother Jie, I saw that his eyes were red and painful, with an explosive inflammation; I used Huang Lian. Huang Lian can be taken internally or used externally.The eyes are the “windows of fire”; if there is no fire, the eyes do not get sick. Most acute eye diseases are related to fire.Huang Lian taken internally can reduce fire and detoxify, while external washing can reduce inflammation and kill bacteria.However, I thought, “Without a guide, the army cannot reach the enemy’s territory; without a guide, the medicine cannot reach the disease.” So I added one more herb, Ma Huang (Ephedra).Huang Lian clears fire and detoxifies, being powerful and fierce, but as a cold herb, it may not reach the eyes, hence the addition of Ma Huang to guide the medicine upward.10 grams of Huang Lian and 10 grams of Ma Huang. After one dose, the next evening, the redness and swelling of the eyes had significantly reduced.If there are stubborn points, you can also add 10 grams of Dang Gui (Angelica) and 15 grams of Bai Shao (White Peony).Nowadays, with so many electronic devices, some people spend all day looking at their phones and computers.This can easily lead to eye fatigue, dryness, and swelling. Use equal parts of Huang Lian, Licorice, Jin Yin Hua (Honeysuckle), Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum), and Pu Gong Ying (Dandelion). Boil, filter, and refrigerate.This can be used to wash the eyes or as eye drops. It can reduce eye inflammation and relieve eye fatigue. For conjunctivitis, it can kill bacteria, reduce inflammation, and promote blood circulation.One elderly person had a quarrel with family members over trivial matters a year ago. Anger attacked the heart, causing blurred vision. After a hospital check, he was diagnosed with cataracts and needed surgery.If he had known Brother Jie earlier or understood TCM, it would not have come to this.Alright, the last function of Huang Lian is to thicken the intestines and stop dysentery.Thickening the intestines refers to benefiting the stomach and intestines.Stopping dysentery refers to dysentery and diarrhea, especially in summer, when many people suffer from diarrhea due to eating spoiled or cold food.Using Huang Lian can not only kill intestinal bacteria but also dry dampness and stop diarrhea.A few days ago, I was out with friends for barbecue, and due to the hot weather, one friend drank cold beer, resulting in diarrhea the next day.His type of diarrhea is different; it is not that he cannot pass stool, but although the stool is loose, it is sticky and feels like he still needs to go, but nothing comes out, and he has to go to the bathroom again soon.I only prescribed him three herbs: 5 grams of Huang Lian, 10 grams of Da Huang, and 10 grams of Mu Xiang (Aucklandia). Huang Lian can be boiled longer, while Da Huang should not be boiled too long; Mu Xiang promotes qi and stops diarrhea, so it should be added last, boiled briefly.After taking the three herbs, half an hour later, he expelled the sticky stools, and he felt much better.Huang Lian dries dampness, Da Huang clears heat and opens the intestines, and Mu Xiang promotes qi and transforms dampness; once the damp-heat is removed, the stool will naturally be dry and smooth.If the tongue is pale white, urine is clear, and the stool is watery, this indicates spleen yang deficiency, and one should use Li Zhong Wan.Huang Lian combined with Ku Fan (Alum) and Qing Dai (Indigo) can also treat otitis media, with ear discharge.Huang Lian can clear fire and reduce inflammation, while Qing Dai clears liver and gallbladder fire, and Ku Fan dries dampness.Huang Lian has a significant effect in treating gastric heat and “Xiao Ke” (diabetes). This will be discussed later.Next, Huang QinHuang Qin (Scutellaria) is bitter and cold, purges lung fire, clears large intestine heat, and addresses damp-heat.Huang Qin is bitter and cold; if Huang Lian clears heart fire, Huang Qin clears lung fire. The lungs and large intestine are interrelated, and while clearing lung fire, it also eliminates intestinal fire.Huang Qin can be divided into Zi Qin (young root) and Ku Qin (old root); Zi Qin is the newly sprouted root, tender, firm, and slender, resembling the human intestines.The texture is heavier, allowing it to reach the intestines directly, clearing intestinal fire and eliminating toxins.Ku Qin is the old root, somewhat withered and hollow inside.Ku Qin is lighter in texture, similar to the characteristics of the lung, which is often deficient, thus excelling at clearing lung fire and heat from the skin.Thus, it is said to purge lung fire and clear large intestine heat.It is said that Li Shizhen, in his youth, once had a high fever and cough that would not subside. He later used Huang Qin, boiled it in water, and the fever and cough subsided.He thought he was doomed, but one herb saved him, demonstrating the power of a well-used herb.For persistent lung heat cough, what should be done? Combine Huang Qin with Da Huang.A few days ago, a child had a lung heat cough and sore throat, finding it painful to swallow. He had taken many anti-inflammatory medications with no effect, so I specifically added Huang Qin and Da Huang to the herbal formula I prescribed for him.Using Huang Qin to clear lung heat and purge lung fire, and Da Huang to purge and promote bowel movements, after taking it, he expelled the dirty stools, reducing lung heat and stopping the explosive cough.TCM treats diseases differently from Western medicine; Western medicine focuses on symptoms, treating headaches for headaches and foot pain for foot pain.The lungs and large intestine are interrelated; if there is lung heat cough, attacking the lungs alone may not work or could lead to mutual damage.If the upper part does not work, then attack the lower part. By promoting bowel movements, the lung heat will reduce; this strategy is called “cutting off the fuel at the source.”When a person frequently experiences excess heat, all organs have heat; at this time, do not think about clearing any heat.First, clear the intestines; once the intestines are clear, all heat can be reduced, even the heat and toxins on the skin will subside.Damp-heat can affect:More than half of hemorrhoids are related to damp-heat. Hemorrhoids are caused by damp-heat accumulating in the anus.To treat damp-heat hemorrhoids, Huang Qin is essential. The most representative formula is “Yi Zi Decoction,” which consists of 10 grams of Chai Hu (Bupleurum), 10 grams of Huang Qin, 12 grams of Dang Gui, 6 grams of Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga), 6 grams of Da Huang, and 10 grams of Gan Cao.How effective is this formula? Over 90% of hemorrhoids are treated with “Yi Zi Decoction” with modifications.Last year, a friend had a recurrence of hemorrhoids. When I asked, he said his stools were sticky, and he felt he could not fully expel them, leading to blood when he strained.This is another case of damp-heat in the lower jiao, where heat forces blood to flow, causing bleeding. I used Yi Zi Decoction directly.Since he was bleeding, I added some Di Yu (Sanguisorba), Huai Hua (Sophora), and Ce Bai Ye (Platycladus) at 10 grams each to cool the blood and stop the bleeding.After just one dose, the bleeding stopped. After three doses, he was cured.It can be said that with clear differentiation and precise medication, using Yi Zi Decoction is always effective.Huang Qin can stop bleeding. It can also treat hemoptysis, hematemesis, hematuria, and women’s menorrhagia.Next, Huang Bai
Huang Bai (Phellodendron) is bitter and cold, reduces fire, nourishes yin, alleviates bone steaming damp-heat, and addresses bleeding.
Huang Bai is bitter and cold; what are the characteristics of bitter cold herbs? Bitterness can eliminate dampness, and cold can control heat, thus eliminating damp-heat.
Those with deficiency and cold should use it.If it must be used, it can be paired with some warming herbs to counteract Huang Bai’s bitter cold nature.
All three Huang herbs, Huang Qin, Huang Lian, and Huang Bai, have the effects of clearing heat, drying dampness, purging fire, and detoxifying. Huang Qin excels at clearing the upper jiao, Huang Lian excels at clearing the middle jiao, and Huang Bai specifically targets the lower jiao.
All “pain, itching, and sores” belong to the heart; for oral ulcers and sores on the tongue, if caused by excessive use of the heart and brain, use Huang Lian.
If the sores are due to staying up late or indulgence, use Huang Bai. Huang Bai clears damp-heat from the lower jiao, addressing sores, abscesses, and swelling.
Almost all gynecological herbal washes contain Huang Bai.
Using Huang Bai, Ku Shen (Sophora), Bai Bu (Stemona), Bai Xian Pi (Dictamnus), and She Chuang Zi (Cnidium), these five herbs boiled in water for external washing can treat stubborn conditions such as uterine erosion, vaginitis, and lower limb damp-itching and swelling.
These five herbs all clear damp-heat and toxins, have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and can kill parasites.
The second function of Huang Bai is to reduce fire and nourish yin. Huang Bai itself does not have nourishing yin properties; its yin-nourishing effect depends on its ability to reduce fire. Once the fire is reduced, yin will naturally be generated.
One elderly person had soreness in the lower back and knees, with yellowish urine. He often had swollen gums and took anti-inflammatory medications, but the pain returned once the medication wore off.
I suggested he try 10 grams of Huang Bai and 10 grams of Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena). Huang Bai clears kidney fire, while Zhi Mu nourishes yin.After boiling in water and taking it, he felt much less pain.
Elderly people with swollen gums do not experience the same pain as children with cavities; elderly gum pain often affects an entire row of teeth, with pain on both sides.
There is a Chinese patent medicine called Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan, which can treat this condition of elderly people with yin deficiency and excess fire, leading to swollen and painful gums.
Next, bone steaming damp-heat
Bone steaming refers to a condition where yin deficiency reaches a certain level, causing a feeling of heat emanating from the bones, accompanied by tidal fever.It is like when a car’s radiator is low on water, the car overheats.When the body’s kidney yin is low, it also causes heat; this is called deficiency heat. Huang Bai clears heat and, when combined with cooling blood and nourishing yin herbs, can resolve this.Damp-heat is most commonly associated with gout and hemorrhoids.A year ago, a patient came in, hopping slowly on one leg.Some may ask why he didn’t hop in on both legs.I tell you, when the pain is extreme, one leg can hop while the other cannot bear weight.There is a very effective herb for treating gout, whether for symptomatic relief or addressing the root cause. This formula is “Si Miao San.”If it is during an acute attack, like the patient I saw a few days ago who was in excruciating pain, I used a large dose of Si Miao San, adding Tu Fu Ling (Smilax) and Bi Xie (Dioscorea) to make a total of seven herbs.Tu Fu Ling is a key herb for treating damp-heat. Bi Xie promotes urination and eliminates dampness, increasing urine output to expel uric acid.After taking it in the morning, he could step on his foot by the afternoon.Modern people’s damp-heat is often caused by diet; whether it is gout or hemorrhoids, the heavier the damp-heat, the more severe the gout attacks.Now that material conditions have improved, people eat lavishly every day, and as long as something is delicious, they eat it without considering whether their body can handle it.In the end, they damage their spleen and stomach; some experience constipation, others diarrhea, and some even have urinary issues, while others suffer from skin ulcers, with yellow fluid oozing out.A few days ago, Brother Jie prepared a formula for treating damp-heat in the spleen and stomach, and unexpectedly, it was taken by a group of foodies.Among them, more than half had gout or hemorrhoids.In the bathroom, you can hear the sound of explosive diarrhea, with stools bursting out and splattering everywhere.Thus, conditions like gout and hemorrhoids are caused by spleen and stomach damp-heat; as long as the spleen and stomach are taken care of, gout will not occur.There is also premature ejaculation, which can be treated with Huang Bai; you read that right, do not think that premature ejaculation is solely a kidney issue.Nowadays, excess fire in the lower jiao due to yin deficiency and damp-heat is a common cause of premature ejaculation. I have previously written about this issue, so I will not elaborate further. “Discussing Men’s Impotence, Premature Ejaculation, and Treatment from a TCM Perspective…”As long as the damp-heat in the lower jiao is eliminated, even the prostate can improve.Finally, Zhi Zi (Gardenia)Zhi Zi is cold in nature, relieves depression, eliminates irritability, stops vomiting and bleeding, and reduces heat in urination.Zhi Zi is a powerful herb, and there are many folk remedies associated with it.Its cold nature can clear heat, clearing heat from the heart and lungs, reducing stomach heat, and lowering kidney heat. It is one of the few herbs that can effectively clear heat from all three jiao.Elderly people with insufficient yang fire should use it sparingly or not at all. Occasionally, it can be used to clear heat and relieve irritability.Relieving irritability:One elderly person came in due to irritability and insomnia. He said he always felt very irritable and depressed, tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, feeling as if a fire was burning inside him.I examined him and prescribed two herbs: 10 grams of Zhi Zi and 20 grams of Dan Dou Chi (Fermented Soybean).He asked why I prescribed so few herbs; usually, I prescribe at least ten or eight herbs. What can these two herbs treat?I told him his condition was mild, and two herbs were sufficient.In fact, it is not that simple; the longer the illness, the harder it is to treat.But as long as it is targeted, it is fine.We treat diseases, not sell medicine; as long as the medicine is appropriate, two herbs can treat the illness. Too many herbs can be counterproductive.When we see someone who is very irritable, tossing and turning, sitting up after lying down, it is as if they have taken a stimulant and cannot settle down.This indicates that there is fire in the heart, and fire is active and yang.Zhi Zi, which resembles the human heart, can enter the heart, and its bitter and cold nature can guide heart fire downward, clearing heart fire.Dan Dou Chi is made from black beans, which can enter the kidneys, allowing the heart and kidneys to communicate.The kidneys are associated with water, while the heart is associated with fire; when fire burns in the heart for too long, it leads to irritability, and at this time, water is needed to extinguish the fire.That night, after taking the medicine, he was able to sleep.If the irritability is not so severe, just mild irritability, then use Zhi Zi and Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger) in a decoction.Some people feel mildly irritable, lying in bed, their minds constantly drifting to various thoughts, and when they try to stop thinking, they find themselves thinking again; this is the Zhi Zi and Gan Jiang syndrome.Stopping vomiting and bleeding: Vomiting blood, nosebleeds, and bleeding gums can all be treated with Zhi Zi.For children with severe nosebleeds, if you use a towel or paper to stop the bleeding, it will not work; as soon as you remove it, the bleeding resumes.If the blood is not very red, you need to tonify qi to help stop the bleeding.This means that for deficient individuals, nosebleeds are due to qi deficiency, causing the spleen to fail to control blood.If the child is lively and active, jumping around, this indicates blood heat, which forces the blood to flow uncontrollably. Using 20 grams of Zhi Zi boiled in water can stop the bleeding.Stomach pain? One type of stomach pain is caused by stomach heat, often due to excessive consumption of fried or spicy foods, leading to pain.Using Zhi Zi can directly reduce stomach heat and relieve pain.Reducing heat in urination:If the urine is very yellow, use Zhi Zi. Zhi Zi can guide heat through the three jiao water pathways, expelling it through urination.Initially, the urine will be very yellow, but after several uses, it will gradually become clearer.Bitter cold herbs should not be used long-term; once the urine turns clear, you can stop and use dietary therapy for adjustment.Thus, we see that in the ancient formula “Ba Zheng San,” Zhi Zi is included for treating urinary tract infections and cystitis.When treating diseases, it is essential to focus on the main symptoms; as long as it is a heat-related condition, Zhi Zi can effectively address it. Using Zhi Zi, Da Huang, and Yin Chen (Artemisia) can treat damp-heat jaundice and liver inflammation.Yin Chen clears heat and dampness, protects the liver and gallbladder. Zhi Zi promotes the flow of the three jiao water pathways, clearing heat and dampness, allowing damp-heat to be expelled through urination. Da Huang promotes bowel movements, expelling internal heat.When damp-heat accumulates in the body, it leads to jaundice, causing yellowing of the eyes, skin, and urine, along with thirst, difficulty urinating, yellow greasy tongue coating, abdominal distension, and fatigue.Grinding Zhi Zi into powder can be used for “fire toxin sores and abscesses,” which are red and painful, often accompanied by heat and pain.Take an appropriate amount of Zhi Zi powder, mix it with egg white, and apply it externally; it feels cool and soothing. It can also be used for bee stings.Using fresh Zhi Zi crushed and applied externally can reduce swelling and pain, treating injuries, sprains, and swelling.
Warm reminder: The prescriptions mentioned in this article are for clinical reference only; non-TCM professionals should not attempt these formulas without guidance.
Click “Read the original text“↙ to see more exciting content.