Eight Methods

Question 1

Diaphoresis

Answer 1

Expelling or releasing the exterior
= induce sweating

Opening and liberating the exterior to release external pathogens (wai xie) that have invaded but not yet penetrated more deeply.

Question 2

Herbs used to expel wind cold

Answer 2

pungent-warm exterior releasing herbs:
Ma Huang (Ephedra)
Gui Zhi (cinnamon twig)
Jing Jie (schizonepeta)
Fang Feng (saposhnikovia)
Qiang Huo (notopterigyum root)

Question 3

Herbs used to expel wind heat pathogens

Answer 3

pungent and cold exterior releasing herbs:
Bo He
Ge Gen
Dan Dou Chi

Question 4

Herbs to Release fire toxin (on the surface) - less diaphoretic

Answer 4

Jin Yin Hua
Huang Qin
Ban Lan Gen
Lian Qiao
Shan Zhi Zi
Pu Gong Ying

Question 5

Cautions for diaphoresis

Answer 5

• it can be weakening; qi yang and fluids leak out with the sweating, be mindful of:
• take care to ensure the pathogen is on the exterior - working gently; the aim is to produce a slight sweat - stop when the job is done
• elderly or weak patients

Question 6

Emesis

Answer 6

Vomiting
Expulsion of xie qi through the upper orifices, mainly the mouth, by induced vomiting.
Used for acute shi conditions of the upper jiao, for instance, poisoning, severe food stagnation. Strongly injuring to stomach qi and fluids.
Not commonly used today.

Question 7

Purgation / Purging

Answer 7

Clear internal shi heat and stagnation especially in the stomach and intestines through the stools.
Clinically in:
constipation, yangming fevers, qi level fevers, blood stagnation - especially in the lower jiao, fluid retention; and other internal shi conditions.

Question 8

Harmonising

Answer 8

Reconciliation of opposites.

1. shao yang stage pathogen resolution with the following herbs as key:
   * chai hu, huang qin & qing hao, yin chen hao
2. harmonising liver & spleen or liver and stomach (middle jiao)
3. harmonising Gallbladder and Stomach (Phlegm heat - dizziness)
4. harmonising Ying qi (nutritive qi) and wei qi (defensive qi)

Question 9

Warming

Answer 9

This is used to increase yang or to disperse cold in the interior.
a) warming centre
b) dispersing cold
c) warming channels (Cold in exterioir)

Naturally warming is contraindicated (or only used very carefully) in yin xu, blood xu, hot blood or in shi heat conditions.

Question 10

Heat clearing

Answer 10

Treating internal heat conditions using cold herbs
Some of the herbs in this category are risk damaging spleen yang

Question 11

Clearing Heat and Resolving Fire Poison

Answer 11

Da Qing Ye
Huang Qin
Pu Gong Ying
Ban Lan Gen
Jin Yin Hua
Huang Bai
Huang Lian
Bai Hua She She Cao
Lian Qiao
Shan Zhi Zi
Zi Hua Di Ding

Question 12

Clearing blood heat

Answer 12

For skin conditions
Mu Dan Pi
Chi Shao
Ban Lan Gen
Sheng Di
Da Qing Ye
Xuan Shen

Question 13

Draining damp heat

Answer 13

Cold bitter herbs
San Huang
Long Dan Cao

Question 14

Cautions for Heat clearing

Answer 14

1) heat clearing is contraindicated if the pathogen is still on the surface, in which case the
diaphoresis method is used.
2) heat clearing is not used for internal fevers with qi bind (eg. yangming fevers)
3) It is not used over a prolonged time-period as this will injure the stomach and spleen
yang
4) used with care in weak patients

Question 15

Draining Damp

Answer 15

Cang Zhu
Hou Po
Ban Xia

Question 16

Herbs to clear xu heat

Answer 16

Qin Jiao Di Gu Pi
Shi Chang Pu
Qing Hao

Question 17

Tonification

Answer 17

a) qi
b) blood
c) yin (jin ye - fluids)
d) yang

It is important to distinguish between a genuine xu condition and a shi condition having a xu appearance.
often overused in practice.
After blood loss or yang collapse tonics may be given at a high dose over a short period of time.
But mostly they are given over long period in small dose.

Question 18

Dispersing

Answer 18

to remove chronic stagnation of:
phlegm
soften lumps and tumors
move stagnation of Qi
reduce Blood stagnation
drain excess fluids by diuresis

treats chronic accumulation by gradual dispersal