Cool, Acrid Herbs that Release the Exterior

Question 1

Bo He

Answer 1

acrid, aromatic, cooling
LU, LV
3-6
1. Disperses wind-heat, clears and benefits the head, eyes, and throat (patterns of wind-heat)
2. Vents rashes (early stages of rashes to induce the rash to come to the surface as a means of venting the wind and heat and thereby speeding recovery)
3. Allows constrained LV qi to flow freely (constrained LV qi)
4. Expels turbid filth (summertime exposure to unclean qi)

Question 2

Niu Bang Zi

Answer 2

acrid, bitter, cold
LU, ST
6-12 (should be ground before decocting)
1. Disperses wind-heat and benefits the throat (externally contracted wind heat patterns)
2. Resolves toxicity and vents rashes (pruritic rashes dt wind heat)
3. Moistens the intestines (externally contracted toxins but also with internal heat causing constipation.)

Question 3

Chan Tui

Answer 3

sweet, salty, sl cold
LU, LV
3-9
1. Disperses wind and clears heat (patterns of externally contracted wind- heat esp with loss of voice and swollen, sore throat)
2. Vents rashes (early stages of measles with an incomplete expression of the rash)
3. Clears teh eyes and removes superficial visual obstruction (wind heat eye problems)
4. Stops spasms and extinguishes wind (childhood febrile diseases)

Question 4

Sang Ye

Answer 4

sweet, bitter, cold
LU, LV
4.5-9
1. Disperses and scatters wind-heat (externally contracted wind heat)
2. Calms the LV and clears the eyes (eye problems dt LV heat from excess, wind-heat or yin deficiency. Also for vertigo dt ascendant LV yang)
3. Clears the LU and moistens dryness (LU dryness or LU heat with thick yellow sputum)
4. Cools the blood and stops bleeding (mild cases of vomiting of blood dt heat in the blood)

Question 5

Ju Hua

Answer 5

sweet, bitter, sl cold
LU, LV
4.5-15
1. Disperses wind and clears heat (wind-heat patterns)
2. Calms the LV and clears the eyes (red, swollen, dry and painful eyes dt either wind heat in the LV channel or ascendant LV yang. Or LV and KD yang deficiency)
3. Calms the LV and extinguishes wind (sx dizzines, h/a, deafness dt ascendant LV yang)
4. Resolves toxicity (toxic sores and swellings)

Question 6

Man Jing Zi

Answer 6

bitter, acrid, cool
BL, LV, ST
6-12
1. Disperses wind and clears heat (externally contracted wind heat esp when major complaint is h/a or eye pain)
2. Clears and benefits head and eyes (LV channel wind heat)
3. Drains dampness and expels wind (wind damp in the limbs causing stiffness, numbness, cramping or heaviness)

Question 7

Dan Dou Chi

Answer 7

sweet, sl bitter, cold or warm (depending on preparation)
LU, ST
6-12
1. Releases the exterior (both hot and cold exterior disorders. Mild character so good for underlying yin deficiency)
2. Eliminates irritability (irritability, and stifling sensation in the chest from residual heat)

Question 8

Da Dou Juan

Answer 8

sweet, neutral
ST
10-15
1. Clears summerheat and damp heat (early stages of summerheat or warm heat pathogen disease)

Question 9

Fu Ping

Answer 9

acrid, cold
BL, LU
3-9
1. Induces sweating and releases the exterior ( patterns of exterior heat. Strongly diaphoretic)
2. Vents rashes and stops itching (hastens the full expression of measles or other rashes and thereby accelerates resolution of the disease. Also used for wind-rash)
3. Promotes urination and reduces swelling (hot superficial edema especially when it affects the upper body adn is accompanied by urinary difficulty)

Question 10

Mu Zei

Answer 10

sweet, bitter, neutral
LU, LV, GB
3-9
1. Disperses wind-heat, clears the eyes, and reduces superficial visual obstruction (wind heat affecting the eyes)
2. Clears heat and stops bleeding (auxiliary herb for blood in the stool or hemorrhoids)

Question 11

Ge Gen

Answer 11

sweet, acrid, cool
SP, ST
9-21
1. Discharges exterior conditions and releases teh muscles (exterior disorders lodged in the muscles
2. Relieves heat and generates fluids (thirst dt st heat.)
3. Vents and discharges measles (to hasten recovery from measles with incomplete expression of the rash)
4. Relieves heat and generates fluids (irritability and thirst from externally contracted heat or wasting and thirsting diseases with internal heat)
5. Raises the yang and stops diarrhea (diarrhea or dysenteric d/o dt heat. Also dt sp deficiency)
6. Tx sx of hypertension (recent)

Question 12

Chai Hu

Answer 12

bitter, acrid, cool
GB, LV, PC, TW
3-9
1. Resolves lesser yang d/o and reduces fever (Shao yang sx. Auxiliary herb for heat from deficiency)
2. Spreads LV qi and releives constraint (Constrained LV qi. Also disharmony between LV and SP)
3. Raises and lifts the yang qi, specifically the clear qi of the ST and GB (abnormal descent of qi with an inability to rise)

Question 13

Sheng Ma

Answer 13

sweet, acrid, sl cold
LI, LU, SP, ST
3-9
1. Discharges exterior conditions and vents measles (h/a dt exterior wind heat or early stages of measles)
2. Clears heat and resolves toxicity (various manifestations of fire toxin in the upper or superficial aspects of the body)
3. Raises the yang and lifts what is sunken (middle qi deficiency. Also Dai Mai spasm and as a messenger to guide the effects of other herbs upwards.)