Herb basics Flashcards
What is the doctrine of signatures for twigs (zhi)
enter the limbs
What is the doctrine of signatures for herb skin, peel and bark (pi)
enters the skin or superficial layers of the body
What is the doctrine of signatures for vines (teng)
enter the channels and collaterals
What is the doctrine of signatures for flowers (hua)
guide herbs to the upper body
What is the doctrine of signatures for seeds/kernels (zi/ren)
may contain oils that are moistening and lubricating
What is the doctrine of signatures for stones (shi)
heavy, sedating and anchoring of the shenanigans
What part of the plant does the chinese word “gen” (ge gen) refer to?
root - radix
What part of the plant does the chinese word “ye” (sang ye) refer to?
leaf - folium
What part of the plant does the chinese word “zhi” (gui zhi) refer to?
twig - ramulus
What part of the plant does the chinese word “zi” (jue ming zi) refer to?
seed - semen
What part of the plant does the chinese word “ren” (xing ren) refer to?
seed/kernel - semen
What part of the plant does the chinese word “hua” (ju hua) refer to?
flower - flos
What part of the plant does the chinese word “pi” (chen pi) refer to?
skin, peel, bark - pericarpium
What part of the plant does the chinese word “cao” (gan cao) refer to?
grass, herb (latin word will still refer to the part of the plant that is used, like root/radix)
What part of the plant does the chinese word “teng” (gou teng) refer to?
vine - ramulus cum uncis
What part of the plant does the chinese word “shi” (shi gao) refer to?
stone - fibrosum
What part of the plant does the chinese word “dou” (lu dou) refer to?
bean - semen radiati
Gan sui - Kansui Radix (Downward-Draining Herbs/Harsh Expellants, cathartics)
Da ji - Cirsii Japonici Herba Sive Radix (regulate blood, stop bleeding)
Yuan hua - Genkwa Flos (Downward-Draining Herbs/Harsh Expellants, cathartics)
Hai zao - Sargassum (Cool & Transform Phlegm-Heat)
What herb are these herbs incompatible with?
Gan cao - licorice
Bei mu - Fritillariae cirrhosae Bulbus (Cool & Transform Phlegm-Heat)
Gua lou - tricosanthis (cool phlegm heat)
Zhi ban xia - pinellia (Warm & Transform Cold-Phlegm)
Bai lian - Radix Ampelopsis (Clear heat and Relieve Toxicity)
Bai ji - Bletillae Rhizoma (Regulate Blood/Stop Bleeding)
What herb are these herbs incompatible with?
Fu zi/wu tou - aconite
Ren shen - ginseng (Tonify qi)
Dan shen - Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix (Invigorate the Blood)
Ku shen - Sophorae flavescentis Radix (Clear Heat and Dry Dampness)
Xi xin - Asari Herba (WARE)
Bai shao - peony (Tonify Blood)
What herb are these herbs incompatible with?
Li lu - Rhizoma et Radix Veratri Nigri
What effect does charring (tan) have on herbs?
It enhances their ability to stop bleeding
What effect does calcining (duan) have on herbs?
it makes minerals and shells brittle and easier to break into a powder. It may also enhance the astringent action of some herbs.
What effect does roasting herbs in ashes (wei) have?
It draws out toxic oils from seeds and nuts
What effect does dry frying (chao) have on herbs?
The herbs are cooked in a dry wok until browned. It increases the herb’s temperature, enhances its ability to tonify, and makes herbs easier to store.
What effect does stir frying (zhi) herbs in honey have?
It increases the herb’s tonifying and moistening actions.
What effect does stir frying (zhi) herbs in ginger juice have?
It reduces the tendency of cold herbs to upset the stomach, enhances an herb’s ability to warm the stomach and stop vomiting, reduces toxicity.
What effect does stir frying (zhi) herbs in vinegar have?
Facilitates entry into the liver, increases an herbs astringent/analgesic/and blood invigorating properties.
What effect does sir frying (zhi) herbs in salt have?
It directs an herb’s action to the kidney, nourishes yin and reduces heat signs
