Herbs 1 Group 2 Flashcards
What is Zhū Líng?
Chinese: 豬苓 (means: pig poop mushroom)
Botanical name: Polyporus umbellatus
What are the properties of Zhū Líng?
Bensky: sweet, bland, slightly cool
Chen & Chen: sweet, bland, neutral
What channels does Zhū Líng enter?
(spleen) kidney, bladder
How does Bensky classify Zhū Líng?
Classified as: herbs that drain dampness
What are the main actions of Zhū Líng?
Promotes urination and leaches out dampness (Bensky)
Promotes urination and resolves dampness (Chen & Chen)
What does Yoshimasu Todo say about Zhū Líng?
“Zhu Ling mainly treats thirst and unsmooth urination.”
What is Huá Shí?
Chinese: 滑石 (means: slippery rock)
Pharmaceutical name: Talcum
What are the properties of Huá Shí?
Properties: sweet, bland, cold
What channels does Huá Shí enter?
Channel entered: stomach, bladder
How does Bensky classify Huá Shí?
Classified as: herbs that drain dampness
What are the actions and Indications of Huá Shí according to Bensky?
Clears heat and facilitates the resolution of dampness
Clears summerheat and facilitates the resolution of dampness
Absorbs dampness
What are the Chinese therapeutic actions of Huá Shí according to Chen & Chen?
Clears heat and resolves dampness
Clears summer-heat
Topical use to clear heat and dry dampness
What does Yoshimasu Todo say about Huá Shí?
“Huá Shí mainly treats unsmooth urination. [It] inclusively treats thirst.”
Deduce the Huá Shí Pattern.
- Main ability: promotes urination and clears heat
- Mainly treats: urinary dysfunction with heat signs
- Clinical applications:
- dribbling painful urination
- thirst and urinary dysfunction
What is Fáng Jǐ?
Chinese: han fang ji 漢防己 (Means: [Han] protect body/self)
Pharmaceutical name: Stephaniae tetrandrae Radix
Common name: stephania root
What are the properties of Fáng Jǐ?
Properties: bitter, acrid, cold
What channels does Fáng Jǐ enter?
Bensky: bladder, spleen, kidney
Chen & Chen: bladder, lung, kidney
How does Bensky classify Fáng Jǐ?
Classified as: herbs that drain dampness
What are the actions and Indications of Fáng Jǐ according to Bensky?
Promotes urination and reduces edema
Expels wind-dampness and alleviates pain
What does Yoshimasu Todo say about Fáng Jǐ?
“Fang Ji mainly treats water.”
Deducing Fáng Jǐ Pattern
Main ability: unblocks qi and moves stagnant water
Mainly treats: water accumulation
Clinical applications of Fáng Jǐ
Edema and pain in the lower extremities (Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang, Fang Ji Fu Ling Tang)
Asthma (Mu Fang Ji Tang)
What is Mù Tōng?
Chinese: 木通 (means: tree unblock)
Pharmaceutical name: Akebiae Caulis
What are the properties of Mù Tōng?
Properties: bitter, slightly cold
What channels does Mù Tōng enter?
Bensky: bladder, heart, small intestine
Chen & Chen: Sedates heart and small intestine fire
How does Bensky classify Mù Tōng?
Classified as: herbs that drain dampness
What are the actions and Indications of Mù Tōng according to Bensky?
Promotes urination and unblocks painful urinary dribbling
Promotes urination and drains heat from the heart via the small intestine
Promotes lactation and unblocks the blood vessels
What are the Chinese therapeutic actions of Mù Tōng according to Chen & Chen?
Promotes urination
Sedates heart and small intestine fire
Opens the channels to relieve pain
Promotes lactation
What is the Main ability of Mù Tōng?
disinhibits water passage and blood vessels
What is 茯苓?
Fu Ling
Characters: Hidden plant + fungus (magic)
found under pine trees
What is Fu Ling?
Poria, Hoelen Mushroom
What are the properties of Fu Ling?
Sweet, Bland, Neutral
How is Fu Ling classified by Bensky?
Herbs that drain dampness
What are the actions and Indications of Fu Ling according to Bensky?
Promotes Urination, leaches out dampness
strengthen spleen, harmonize middle burner
strengthen spleen, transforms phlegm
quiets the heart, calms the spirit
What does Fu Ling treat according to Yoshimasu Todo?
pulsation leading to muscle shaking tendon twitch
inclusively: unsmooth urination, head dizziness, and vexation restlessness
What does Fu Ling mainly treat?
pulsation/palpitation due to abnormal distribution of water
What are some clinical applications of Fu Ling?
unsmooth urination
dizziness, vertigo
vexation, restlessness, anxiety
What is (白/蒼)朮?
(Bai/Cang) Zhu
(White/Dark) Atractylodis Rhizoma
What are the properties of Bai Zhu?
Bitter, sweet, warm
What are the properties of Cang Zhu?
Acrid, bitter, warm
Which channels does Zhu enter?
Stomach & Spleen
How does Bensky classify Bai Zhu?
herbs that tonify qi
How does Bensky classify Cang Zhu?
aromatic herbs that transform dampness
What are the actions and indications of Bai Zhu?
Dries dampness and promotes water metabolism,
- which tonifies the spleen and augments the qi,
- and stabilizes the exterior and stops sweating.
- CALMS the FETUS*
What are the actions and indications of Cang Zhu?
STRONGLY dries dampness and strengthens the spleen
induces sweating and dispels wind dampness
clears dampness from the lower burner
benefits the eyes (improves vision)
What does Yoshimasu Todo say about Zhu?
“Zhu rules smoothing water. Therefore, it can treat urinary overflow and inhibition. Inclusively it treats body vexation aches [bi syndrome], phlegm/rheum, loss of essence, dizziness veiling, diarrhea, and a tendency to spit.”
What is the main Zhu pattern?
Main ability: dry dampness, promote water metabolism
Mainly treats: disorders of water and dampness
What are the clinical applications of Zhu?
urinary dysfunction body aches and pains dizziness, vertigo indigestion diarrhea
What is 澤瀉?
Zé Xiè
Alismatis Rhizoma
water plantain
What are the properties of Zé Xiè?
sweet, bland, cold
Actions & indications of Zé Xiè?
Promotes urination and leaches out dampness
Settles ministerial fire in the kidneys by draining damp heat from the lower burner
What does Yoshimasu Todo say about Zé Xiè?
“Ze Xie mainly treats unsmooth urination [and] veiling dizziness. [It] inclusively treats thirst.”
Zé Xiè Main ability:
Zé Xiè Mainly treats:
promotes water metabolism and urination
unsmooth urination
Clinical applications:
- Unsmooth urination with thirst
- Dizziness, vertigo
What does the Su Wen say about water metabolism?
“Liquid enters the stomach, its refined qi overflows and is transported up to the spleen. The spleen
spreads its refined [qi] and eventually brings it up to the lung, which controls and frees water
passageways and transports [water] down to the bladder.”
