Chinese Medicine Herb Basic Theory AFEA by Amanda Flashcards

Go back to the basics

1
Q

What does the flavor Acrid/Spicy/Pungent do?

A

Disperse and Move Qi and Blood.

Release Exterior
Invigorate Blood/Qi

(Metal. Goes up the Nose)

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2
Q

What are the cautions for Acrid/Spicy/Pungent flavors?

A

Qi or Yin deficiency or in spontaneous perspiration.

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3
Q

What does the flavor Sour/Astringent do?

A

Constrict, Solidify and Nourish Fluids, Stabilize substances, Prevent leakage of fluids.

Tend to nourish yin, blood or body fluids because holding them in.

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4
Q

Sour/Astringent herbs are good for someone with:

A

Cough, diarrhea, bleeding, leucorrhea, urinary incontinence, enuresis, nocturnal emissions, perspirations due to debility

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5
Q

What does the flavor Bitter do?

A

Drain and Dry

Descend: Xing ren apricot, Da huang rhubarb

Dry Damp- (Bitter Cold) 3 Huang’s
(Bitter Warm) Tang zhu grey atractylodes

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6
Q

What does the flavor Sweet do?

A

Tonify, Harmonize, Moisten

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7
Q

What does the flavor Bland do?

A

Leach out dampness and promote urination.

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8
Q

Bitter herbs are NOT used for

A

Yin deficiency (bitter drains down)

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9
Q

What does Salty do?

A

Softens (hard masses) and Purge (opens and drains bowels)

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10
Q

Sweet & Sour herbs help to generate:

A

Yin

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11
Q

Sweet & Acrid herbs help to generate:

A

Yang

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12
Q

Flowers and heads of plants in general move Qi in what direction?

A

Up

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13
Q

Leaves, Peels and barks help go to where on the body?

A

Go to the body’s surface, treat skin, respiratory system

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14
Q

Stems and Vines help go to where on the body?

A

Channels and Sinews

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15
Q

Roots go where in the body?

A

They penetrate deeper to Yin organ

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16
Q

Inner parts of plants go where in the body?

A

The heart

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17
Q

Shells and Minerals tend to do what?

A

Anchor the shen and Qi

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18
Q

Animal based herbs tend to do what?

A

To be warm and salty; and stronger then plants.

Tonify yang and extinguish wind

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19
Q

Seeds tend to do what?

A

Moisten and Nourish (like Water element)

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20
Q

Fruits tend to do what to the body?

A

Nourish the spleen (they are sweet)

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21
Q

Upper body ailments are treated with the _________ parts of plants?

A

upper

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22
Q

Lower body ailments are treated with the _________ parts of plants

A

lower

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23
Q

Release Exterior herbs have what taste?

A

Warm/Cool

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24
Q

Release Exterior Herbs enter what channels?

A

BL, LU

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25
Q

What action does Release exterior have?

A

Releases exterior through sweating, uninhibit Lung Qi

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26
Q

Clear Heat herbs have what taste?

A

Bitter

27
Q

Clear Heat herbs have what temperature?

A

Cold

28
Q

Clear Heat does what?

A

Drains heat and fire,

other depending on complexity, same with Channels entered

29
Q

Drain Damp has what taste?

A

Bland, Sweet

30
Q

What temperature do Drain Damp herbs have?

A

Neutral to Cold

31
Q

What channels does Drain Damp enter?

A

SP, BL

32
Q

What action do Drain Damp herbs have?

A

Drains damp through promoting urination, Supports the SP and other organs

33
Q

What taste do Tonify herbs have?

A

Sweet

34
Q

What temperature are Tonify herbs?

A

Warm, Cool

35
Q

What channels do Tonify herbs enter?

A

SP, LV, and others accordingly

36
Q

What action do Tonify herbs have?

A

Strengthen, augment

Support

Nourish, engender

37
Q

What taste do Stabilize and Bind herbs have?

A

Sour, Astringent

38
Q

What temperature are Stabilize and Bind herbs?

A

Warm

39
Q

What channels do Stabilize and Bind herbs enter?

A

LU, Lg Int., KI

40
Q

What is the action of Stabilize and Bind herbs?

A

Astringes Qi, Fluids, tonifies all substances, generates fluids, stops sweating, coughing, bleeding, calms

41
Q

What are the 8 Traditional Treatment strategies? (Eight rectifications)

A
  1. Promote Sweat
  2. Induce Vomit
  3. Purge or Drain Downward
  4. Harmonize
  5. Warm
  6. Clear(heat)
  7. Reduce (stagnation, parasites, phlegm)
  8. Tonify
42
Q

1 qian = ____ grams

A

3

43
Q

What are the 8 Principles?

think opposites

A

Yin/Yang
Interior/Exterior
Cold/Hot
Deficient/Excess

44
Q

Zang Organs are also known as what?

A

Yin Organs (the Zang is not the Yang)

45
Q

Fu organs are also known as what?

A

Yang Organs

46
Q

How do you get Qi?

A
Born with it (Yuan Qi)
Eat it (Gu Qi)
Breathe it (Kong qi)
47
Q

A tense and wiry pulse indicates what?

A

Qi stasis (stagnation)

48
Q

A Tongue that is red, yellow and lacks coating indicates what?

A

Yin Deficiency

49
Q

A tongue that is pale, swollen (just like qi deficiency); formless, wet, with coating that is white and thin, indicates what?

A

Yang Deficiency

50
Q

A tongue that is pale, swollen (just like Yang Deficiency) , puffy, teethmarks, indicates what?

A

Qi Deficiency

51
Q

Qi is an aspect of

A

Yang

52
Q

Blood is an aspect of

A

Yin

53
Q

What does a dusky (blue/purple) tongue indicate?

A

Qi stasis (stagnation)

54
Q

What does a peachy tongue indicate?

A

Blood deficiency

55
Q

A tight pulse indicates:

A

Yin deficiency or cold

56
Q

What are HOT herbs used for?

A

Yin or Cold conditions

57
Q

What do HOT herbs do?

Ma Huang Ephedra
Gan Jiang Ginger

A

Tonify yang and qi, increase metabolic process, consolidate scattered yang (ie. shock), expel cold

58
Q

What are VERY HOT herbs used for?

Fu Zi Aconite

A

Resuscitating the yang, tend to be drying

59
Q

What do Warm herbs do?

Zhi can gao honey fried licorice

A

Accelerate the flow of qi, milder and generally not as drying

60
Q

What do Neutral herbs do?

Fu Ling Poria

A

Used when a herb is needed in a formula but most of the herbs in that category are too warm or cool for the patient. can be safely used for hot or cold diseases

61
Q

What do COOL herbs do?

Han lian cao eclipta
Bai shao peony

A

Slow the metabolism, nourish Yin, create body fluids, and are calming

62
Q

What do Cold herbs do?

Long dan cao gentiana

A

Clear heat, purge fire, remove toxins, nourish yin

CAUTION:
Can damage SP yang qi causing side effects like gas, bloating, loose stools

63
Q

What does a red tongue mean?

A

Heat of some sort