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Chinese Herbal Medicine |
Effects and Indications |
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Ma Huang (Ephedra) |
Induces sweating and releases the exterior: Wind-cold exterior syndrome Disperses lung qi and relieves wheezing: Wheezing and coughing due to lung qi not dispersing Promotes urination and reduces swelling: Edema with exterior syndrome |
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Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig) |
Releases the exterior and relieves muscle aches: Wind-cold exterior excess without sweating and wind-cold exterior deficiency with sweating Warms and unblocks the meridians: Wind-cold-damp bi syndrome, menstrual disorders due to cold and blood stagnation, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, and abdominal masses Assists yang and transforms qi: Yang deficiency syndrome (chest obstruction and pain, yang deficiency palpitations, edema, and cold abdominal pain), phlegm-fluid syndrome, etc. |
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Zi Su (Perilla) |
Releases the exterior and disperses cold, regulates qi and relieves fullness, stabilizes pregnancy, detoxifies fish and crab poison |
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Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger) |
Induces sweating and releases the exterior, warms the middle and stops vomiting, warms the lungs and stops coughing, detoxifies fish and crab, Ban Xia (Pinellia) and Tian Nan Xing (Rhizoma Arisaematis) poison. (“The Holy Medicine for Vomiting”) |
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Jing Jie (Schizonepeta) |
Disperses wind and releases the exterior (both wind-cold and wind-heat), promotes rashes and relieves itching, stops bleeding (when charred) |
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Fang Feng (Siler) |
Expels wind and releases the exterior (common for treating wind): Wind-cold exterior syndrome, wind-heat exterior syndrome, exterior syndrome with dampness, wind rash and itching Dispels dampness and alleviates pain: Whole body pain due to wind-cold-dampness.Relieves spasms: Tetanus, childhood convulsions |
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Qiang Huo (Notopterygium) |
Releases the exterior and disperses cold, expels wind and alleviates dampness, relieves pain: Headache in the Tai Yang channel (pain in the back of the head and neck) and upper body wind-damp pain |
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Gao Ben (Ligusticum) |
Releases the exterior and disperses cold, expels wind and alleviates dampness, relieves pain (vertex headache) |
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Xi Xin (Asarum) |
Expels wind and disperses cold: Wind-cold exterior syndrome (especially for nasal congestion and severe pain), yang deficiency with exterior invasion Opens orifices and relieves pain: Nasal obstruction headache, headache from wind, toothache, wind-cold-damp pain Warms the lungs and transforms phlegm: Coughing and wheezing due to cold phlegm |
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Bai Zhi (Angelica Dahurica) |
Disperses wind-cold, opens orifices and relieves pain (yangming headache, pain in the brow bone), dries dampness and stops discharge, reduces swelling and expels pus |
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Xiang Ru (Elsholtzia) |
Induces sweating and releases the exterior (for summer heat syndrome), harmonizes the middle and transforms dampness, promotes urination and reduces swelling. (“Summer Ma Huang”) |
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Cang Er Zi (Xanthium) |
Disperses wind-cold, opens nasal passages (essential medicine for nasal obstruction headache); removes dampness and relieves pain, relieves itching |
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Xinyan (Magnolia Flower) |
Disperses wind-cold, opens nasal passages |
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Xi He Liu (Salix) |
Releases the exterior and promotes rashes, expels wind and removes dampness |
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Bai He (Lily Bulb) |
Clears heat and moistens dryness, nourishes the heart and calms the spirit |
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Jin Yin Hua (Honeysuckle) |
Clears heat and detoxifies, disperses wind-heat: Suitable for all stages of warm diseases |
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Qin Jiao (Gentiana) |
Clears heat and detoxifies, expels wind and alleviates dampness |
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Huang Qin (Scutellaria) |
Clears heat and dries dampness: Particularly effective for clearing damp-heat in the upper jiao, treating damp-warmth, summer-heat chest oppression, damp-heat chest oppression, jaundice, dysentery, painful urination, and skin rashes |
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Huang Lian (Coptis) |
Clears heat and dries dampness: Particularly effective for clearing heat in the heart and middle jiao |
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Huang Bai (Phellodendron) |
Clears heat and dries dampness (raw use): Particularly effective for treating lower jiao damp-heat syndrome |
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Ku Shen (Sophora) |
Clears heat and dries dampness, kills parasites and relieves itching |
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Long Dan Cao (Gentiana) |
Clears heat and dries dampness, drains liver and gallbladder fire |
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Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia) |
Clears heat and cools blood, nourishes yin and generates fluids |
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Xuan Shen (Scrophularia) |
Clears heat and cools blood, nourishes yin and lowers fire |
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Mu Dan Pi (Moutan) |
Clears heat and cools blood, invigorates blood and disperses stasis, reduces deficiency heat |
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Chi Shao (Paeonia) |
Clears heat and cools blood (heat entering the blood), disperses stasis and relieves pain (abdominal masses, dysmenorrhea), clears liver fire |
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Zi Cao (Lithospermum) |
Cools blood and invigorates blood (for purple-black rashes), detoxifies and promotes rashes |
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Shui Niu Jiao (Buffalo Horn) |
Clears heat and cools blood, drains fire and detoxifies, calms the spirit |
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Jin Yin Hua (Honeysuckle) |
Clears heat and detoxifies, disperses wind-heat: Suitable for all stages of warm diseases |
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Qin Jiao (Gentiana) |
Clears heat and detoxifies, expels wind and alleviates dampness |
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Huang Qin (Scutellaria) |
Clears heat and dries dampness: Particularly effective for clearing damp-heat in the upper jiao, treating damp-warmth, summer-heat chest oppression, damp-heat chest oppression, jaundice, dysentery, painful urination, and skin rashes |
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Huang Lian (Coptis) |
Clears heat and dries dampness: Particularly effective for clearing heat in the heart and middle jiao |
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Huang Bai (Phellodendron) |
Clears heat and dries dampness (raw use): Particularly effective for treating lower jiao damp-heat syndrome |
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Ku Shen (Sophora) |
Clears heat and dries dampness, kills parasites and relieves itching |
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Long Dan Cao (Gentiana) |
Clears heat and dries dampness, drains liver and gallbladder fire |
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Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia) |
Clears heat and cools blood, nourishes yin and generates fluids |
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Xuan Shen (Scrophularia) |
Clears heat and cools blood, nourishes yin and lowers fire |
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Mu Dan Pi (Moutan) |
Clears heat and cools blood, invigorates blood and disperses stasis, reduces deficiency heat |
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Chi Shao (Paeonia) |
Clears heat and cools blood (heat entering the blood), disperses stasis and relieves pain (abdominal masses, dysmenorrhea), clears liver fire |
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Zi Cao (Lithospermum) |
Cools blood and invigorates blood (for purple-black rashes), detoxifies and promotes rashes |
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Shui Niu Jiao (Buffalo Horn) |
Clears heat and cools blood, drains fire and detoxifies, calms the spirit |
