Clear Heat & Drain Downward

Question 1

Shi Gao, Gypsum Fibrosum

Answer 1

• Clear Heat, Drain Fire
• Very Cold
• Sweet, Acrid
• Lu, St

Functions & Indications:
1) Clears heat & drains fire - vents Lu & St - “4 bigs,” irritability, red tongue w/ yellow fur, flooding rapid pulse
2) Clears excessive heat from the Lungs - cough & wheezing with fever; thick, viscous, yellow sputum
3) Clears blazing Stomach Channel Fire - headache, toothache, painful gums
4) Topical applications - eczema, burns & ulcerated sores (duan/calcined form)
Typical dosage: 15-60g (since very dense)

• Cautions: Cold & Deficiency

Question 2

Sheng Di Huang, Rehmannia Radix

Answer 2

• Clear Heat, Cool Blood
• Sweet, Bitter
• Cold
• Ht, Liv, Kd

Functions & Indications:

1) Clears heat, cools the blood - febrile diseases where heat enters the nutritive level causing high fever, delirium, thirst, scarlet red tongue; also for hemorrhage d/t heat entering the blood
2) Nourishes yin & generates fluids - dry mouth, continuous low grade fever, constipation, throat pain d/t yin deficiency; wasting & thirsting disorder

• Cautions: Spleen damp, bloat, loose BM

Question 3

Huang Qin, Scutellaria Radix

Answer 3

• Clear Heat, Dry Damp
• Bitter
• Cold
• Lu, St, Gb, Li

Functions & Indications:

1) Clears heat & dries dampness - for damp-heat patterns of jaundice, dysentery, Lin syndrome (urinary dysfunction), skin; diarrhea that’s hot, smelly, explosive
* 2) Clears heat & resolves toxicity, esp. in the Lung - fever, irritability, thirst, cough w/ thick yellow sputum, hot sores; Shao Yang syndrome
3) Clears heat & stops bleeding - bloody vomit, coughing of blood, nosebleed, blood in stool
* 4) Clears heat, calms the fetus - restless fetus d/t heat
5) Sedates ascendant Liver yang & harmonizes the shao yang - headache, irritability, red eyes/face, bitter taste

• Caution: Cold from deficiency of Sp/St

Question 4

Jin Yin Hua, Lonicerae Flos

Answer 4

• Clear Heat, Relieve Toxicity
• Sweet
• Cold
• Lu, Li, St

Functions & Indications (Dosage Ranges):

1) Clears heat, relieves fire toxicity - hot, painful sores & swellings in various stages of development, esp. of breast, throat, eyes or intestines; expels pus
2) Vents/disperses external wind-heat - fever, sore throat, headache; also summerheat
3) Clears damp-heat from lower burner - dysenteric disorders or painful urinary dysfunction

• Smaller dosage for wind-heat
• Larger dosage for heat toxin

Question 5

Qing Hao, Artemesiae Annuae Herba

Answer 5

• Clear Heat from Deficiency
• Bitter
• Cold
• Kid, Liv, Gb

Functions & Indications:

1) Clears fever from deficiency - fever from blood/yin deficiency or as sequelae of febrile disease with steaming bones
2) Clears summerheat - febrile in summer
3) Cools the blood & stops bleeding - rashes, epistaxis
4) Checks malarial disorders & resolves heat - alternating fever/chills; shao yang syndrome

• Caution: Weak Sp/St

Question 6

Da Huang, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma

Answer 6

• Downward Draining Purgative
• Bitter
• Cold
• St, Li, Ht, Liv

Functions & Indications:

1) Drains heat & purges accumulation - Yang Ming organ disease (4 bigs + constipation)
2) Drains fire & toxins - hot swollen eyes, throat
3) Clears heat, transforms damp, promotes urination - edema, UTI, jaundice, hot dysenteric disorders (to purge heat & toxin)
4) Drains heat from the blood - blood in stool or vomit, nosebleed, chao tan to stop bleeding topically
5) Invigorates blood & dispels blood stasis - amenorrhea, masses, trauma

• Cautions: Weak Sp/St Qi, Diarrhea; Deficient patients without stasis & during menses
• Contraindications: Cases of exterior disorders (bc it will drag pathogen internally); Pregnancy & nursing mothers

Question 7

Huo Ma Ren, Cannabis Semen

Answer 7

• Downward Draining Moist Laxative
• Sweet
• Neutral
• Li, Sp, St

Functions & Indications:

1) Nourishes & moistens intestines - constipation in elderly or weakened (e.g. post-febrile, postpartum)
2) Nourishes the yin - mildly supplements yin
3) Clears heat & promotes healing of sores

Question 8

Gan Sui, Kansui Radix

Answer 8

• Downward Draining Harsh Expellants/Cathartics
• Bitter, Sweet
• Cold, Toxic!
• Lu, Kid, Li

Functions & Indications:

1) Drains water downward & drives out mucus - severe accumulation of fluid in chest or abdomen
2) Drives out phlegm - for seizures or mania d/t phlegm
3) Clears heat & reduces swelling - topically for early stage swollen, painful, nodular skin lesions d/t damp-heat

• Cautions: Deficiency, long term usage, pregnancy