Drain Dampness (“diuretics”)

Question 1

Fu Ling
“Sclerotium Poriae Cocos)

Answer 1

“Hidden edged mushroom”

HT, SP, LU
*Sweet, Bland, Neutral

*tonify spleen, eliminate damp, calm shen
#1 for drain damp/damp

1. Promote urination and leach out dampness —with diff urination, scanty, or DH, & edema DC
2. Strengthens Sp, harmonizes MJ—sp xu with dampness (fatigue, diarrhea)
3. Strengthens Sp, transforms phlegm — sp xu with congested fluids where phlegm goes upward (dizziness, palpitations, cough, heaviness, diff urination)
4. Calms Shen — palpitations and insomnia

C/ci: freq copious urination from cold xu
Dose: 10-15g

Fu ling pi (peel) — strong diuretic, can promote urination, reduce swollen edema

Fu Shen — more Shen calming, around root

Chi fu ling — inner layer, light red, stronger to eliminate water and dampness and clears heat

Bai fu ling — strengthens spleen

Question 2

Zhu Ling (sclerotium polypori umbellati, polyporous)

Answer 2

“Pig edged mushroom”

SP, KD, UB
Sweet, Bland, Sl Cool

*promotes urination and leaches out dampness, facilitates fluid metabolism

A. Promotes urination, leaches out dampness
i. Various water damp accumulation, stronger than fu ling to promote urination, doesn’t tonify SP
1. Alone for edema or Lin syndrome during pregnancy
2. Often combined with fu ling, ze xie for edema, scanty urine, diarrhea
3. Yin xu (add e Jiao, hua shi)

*consider it stronger, but doesn’t calm Shen
C/ci: cannot use for long period of time as it can damage qi or yin fluids

Smaller dose = 5-10g

Question 3

*** Ze Xie (rhizoma alismatis)

Answer 3

“Marsh drain”

KD, UB
Sweet, Bland, Cold

*facilitates fluid pathways, clears blazing ministerial fire

A. Promotes urination, leaches out dampness
i. Difficulty in urination, edema, diarrhea
1. Due to pathogenic dampness that has stagnated internally
ii. Settles Ministerial fire : KD yin xu with blazing fire/Damp Heat in the UB/LJ which injures MM fire (spermatorrhea, tinnitus)

Dose: 5-10g
C/ci: spermatorrhea or leukorrhea from KD yang xu or damp cold patterns, MJ qi sinking

Question 4

*** Yi Yi Ren (Coicis Semen)

Answer 4

“The Seeds of Yi”
(Barley, Jobs Tears)
COIX SEEDS

SP, LU, KD
Sweet, Bland, Sl Cold
*tonifies sp, augments lungs; leaches out dampness from bones, sinews, muscles to treat painful obstruction disorder (BI); cools heat and expels pus, to treat sores and abscesses

A. Facilitates resolution of dampness, strengthens SP
i. Promotes urination, eliminates water dampness - leg qi
ii. Strengthens Sp, stops diarrhea — sp xu with damp diarrhea (more damp than heat, greasy tongue coat)
B. Facilitates resolution of damp and eliminates WD BI/painful obstruction
i. With xing ren, gan cao for body aches
ii. Powdered and cooked as rice congee daily for predominant damp conditions body type
C. Clears heat EXPELS PUS
i. Soft, pulstulated carbuncles, intestinal and lung abscess
ii. ECZEMA conditions internal use, DH conditions
D. Clears DAMP HEAT - any DH condition with digestive issues and greasy/yellow tongue coat

C/ci: mild, food herb can be used over time, large dosage OK
10-30g
Caution pregnancy

Question 5

Dong Gua Zi (ren)
(Semen benacasae hipidae)

Answer 5

“Winter melon seed”

LU, LI, ST, Si (GI + Lu)
Sweet, cold

*facilitates removal of pathogenic water and dampness, clears heat

A. Clears heat, EXPELS PHLEGM , promotes discharge of pus in either Lu or Li
i. For phlegm heat in the Lu with cough and expectoration of thick yellow phlegm
ii. Intestinal abscess and phlegm in UJ/LJ
B. Clears heat and drains dampness. For leukorrhea due to DH (weak function), mild edema in pregnancy (also weak)

10-15g
C/ci: can cause loose stool

Question 6

Sheng Jiang Pi (Pericarpium zingiberis)

Answer 6

ginger peel

LU, SP, St
acrid, COOL (*Not warm)

*harmonizes MJ, promotes urination, reduces edema, mobilizes exterior, edema just under skin

a. harmonizes sp/st, promotes urination, reduces edema, while MOBILIZING EXTERIOR ; helpful for water just under skin

dose: 3-10g

Question 7

** Che Qian Zi (Semen Plantaginis)

Answer 7

“before the cart seeds, seed in front of the cart seeds”

LV, KD, LU, UB
sweet, cold

*facilitates urination, separates clear and turbid fluids, guides DAMP HEAT down and out through urine

a. promotes urination and clears DH ,
i. any kind of painful Lin or edema due to DH
b. promotes urination to solidify the stool; diarrhea associated with DH or Damp Summerheat
c. EYE problems due to Kd and Lv yin xu, or heat in LV channel
d. expels phlegm, clears LUNG HEAT (hot phlegm)
e. LOWERS HBP (lv)

dose: 5-10g
wrap in coffee filter to avoid fine particle problems in decoction

c/ci: yang/qi xu, caution pregnancy

Question 8

Hua Shi (Talcum)

Answer 8

“slippery rock”

ST, UB
sweet, bland/cold

*cools summerheat, clears hot painful urinary dribbling, applied topically for damp heat sores and rashes

a. clears heat and facilitates resolution of dampness
i. important for hot painful burning lin syndrome/dribbling or anything with dark, painful, burning, scanty urine
b. CLEARS SH and eliminates dampness
c. topically for damp and DH skin lesions (*eczema, damp sores, prickly heat)

dose: 10-15g, coffee filter
c/ci: pregnancy (slippery) consumed fluids from warm febrile disease, xs urination, sp qi xu, kd qi xu, spermatorrhea
*avoid inhalation

Question 9

Chi Xiao Dou (semen phaseoli calcarati)

Answer 9

dark red little bean
adzuki bean

*treats both damp edema and toxic fire

a. promotes urination and reduces edema
i. directs downwards, for leg qi, abd swelling fullness, food medicine w carp
b. disperses blood stasis reduces swelling, REDUCES FIRE TOXICITY (topical or internal)
c. facilitates resolution of dampness and heat: for mild jaundice due to DH

dose: 10-30g mild, food

c/ci: overdose can induce miscarriage. allergic rxns reported including pruritus, flushing, urticaria, n/v, palps

*grind for facial scrub

Question 10

Yu Mi Xu (Stylus Zea Mays)

Answer 10

cornsilk
“jade rice whiskers”

UB, GB, LV
sweet, bland, neutral

*reduces edema and painful urinary dribbling (lin) : for hot or ston painful urinary dribbling or edema. at present, used as stand alone herb in large doses for edema due to nephritis
b. clears DH from lv/gb: for dh in lv/gb in connection with hepatitis, cholecystitis, or cholelithiasis
c. some ability to treat hypertension

dose: 15-30g
c/ci: none

(bensky also mentions diabetes)

Question 11

Ban Bian Lian (Lobelia Chinensis)

Answer 11

“half side lily”

HT, LU, SI
sweet, neutral, cold (*not bland)

*promotes urination, cools blood, resolves toxicity, (also in clear heat cat)

a. promotes urination and reduces edema; primarily for edema
b. COOLS BLOOD and resolves TOXICITY : one of choice herbs for treating poisonous snakebites, bee/wasp stings, int/top, also for fire toxins like tonsillitis

dose: 10-15g (dried) often used unprepared for fresh 30-60g
c/ci: xu patterns
decocting may cause loose stools/poor appetite