herbs 3 classification handout 3 Flashcards
Herbs that regulate the qi (理氣藥)
Chen Pi, Qing Pi Zhi Shi, Zhi Ke Xiang Fu Mu Xiang Xie Bai Chuan Lian Zi
I know that hundred diseases engender from the qi.
- Su Wen, chapter 39
How?
Anger makes qi go up, joy makes qi loose, sadness makes qi reduced, fear makes qi go down, cold makes qi contracted, warmth makes qi perspire, startling makes qi disturbed, labor makes qi used, thinking makes qi bind.
Tangerine peel varieties:
chen pi (ripe tangerine peel), ju hong (tangerine flavedo -red- no pith), qing pi (unripe tangerine peel)
Bitter orange varieties:
zhi shi (unripe bitter orange), zhi ke (more mature bitter orange)
青皮
Qīng Pí
unripe tangerine peel
Qīng Pí
unripe tangerine peel
bitter, acrid, warm
o Spreads the liver qi and breaks up stagnant qi
o Dissipates clumps and reduces stagnation
枳殼
Zhǐ Ké
bitter orange
Zhǐ Ké
bitter orange
bitter, acrid, slightly cold
o Promotes the flow of qi
香附
Xiāng Fù
cyperus
Xiāng Fù
cyperus
acrid, slightly bitter, slightly sweet, neutral
o Spreads and regulates liver qi
o Regulates menstruation and alleviates pain
- They say “an excellent herb for women.”
木香
Mù Xiāng
Aucklandiae Radix
Mù Xiāng
Aucklandiae Radix
acrid, bitter, warm
o Promotes the movement of qi and stops pain
o Adjusts and regulates stagnant qi in the intestines
o Strengthens the spleen and prevents stagnation
Compare Mu Xiang to Xiang Fu
Mu Xiang (aucklandia) is used more often for spleen and stomach qi stagnation, while Xiang Fu for liver qi stagnation
川楝子
Chuān Liàn Zǐ
toosendan fruit,
Sichuan chinaberry,
Sichuan pagoda tree
Chuān Liàn Zǐ
toosendan fruit,
bitter, cold, slightly toxic
o Dredges liver qi, releases constraint, stops pain, and conducts heat out from below
o Kills parasites and stops pain
*Chuan Lian Zi (toosendan) is bitter and cold, so it can be used for qi stagnation with heat.
Herbs that regulate the blood (理買蓌)
- stop bleeding (止血藥)
San Qi Pu Huang Qian Cao Gen Ai Ye Xian He Cao
三七
Sān Qī - 3, 7 (leaves)
Notoginseng Radix
pseudoginseng root
Sān Qī (3, 7 - leaves)
Notoginseng Radix
pseudoginseng root
sweet, slightly bitter, warm
o Stops bleeding and transforms blood stasis
o Reduces swelling and alleviates pain
*San Qi (notoginseng) - Important herb for traumatic injury.
It is used as the main herb in a popular patent formula, Yun Nan Bai Yao.
蒲黃
Pú Huáng
Typhae Pollen
cattail pollen
Pú Huáng
Typhae Pollen
cattail pollen
sweet, acrid, neutral
o Stops bleeding
o Invigorates the blood and dispels blood stasis
o Promotes urination and stops bleeding
- It was used in Zhang Zhongjing formula Pu Hui San for urinary inhibition in Jingui Yaolue.
血餘炭
Xuè Yú Tàn
Crinis carbonisatus
charred human hair
Xuè Yú Tàn
Crinis carbonisatus
charred human hair
bitter, neutral
o Restrains leakage of blood and stops bleeding
o Promotes urination
o Generates flesh and resolves sores
*It was used in Hua Shi Bai Yu San for urinary inhibition in Jingui Yaolue.
茜草根
Qiàn Cǎo Gēn
Rubiae Radix
madder root
Qiàn Cǎo Gēn
Rubiae Radix
madder root
bitter, cold
o Cools the blood and stops bleeding
o Invigorates the blood and dispels blood stasis
仙鶴草
Xiān Hè Cǎo
Agrimoniae Herba
Xiān Hè Cǎo
Agrimoniae Herba
bitter, astringent, neutral
o Restrains leakage of blood and stops bleeding
o Alleviates diarrhea and dysenteric disorders
o Kills parasites
*can be used for trichomonas vaginitis as an external use
Lang ya tang
In shaoyin pulse slippery and rapid, sores develop inside of the yin (vagina). [When there are] sores ulcerated in vagina, wash with lang ya tang.
- lang ya (xian he cao) 3 liang
Cook it with 4 sheng of water until ½ sheng remains.
Wrap cotton around a chopstick like a cocoon,
deep it in the decoction and apply it into vagina four times per day.
- Jingui Yaolue, chapter 23
Herbs that regulate the blood (理買蓌)
- invigorate the blood (活血化瘀藥)
Chuan Xiong Dan Shen Yan Hu Suo Yi Mu Cao Chi Shao Tao Ren Hong Hua Niu Xi Shui Zhi Zhe Chong (Tu Bie Chong)
丹蔘
Dān Shēn
Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix
salvia root
Dān Shēn
Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix
salvia root
bitter, slightly cold
o Invigorates the blood and dispels stasis
o Clears heat and soothes irritability
o Cools the blood and reduces abscesses
o Nourishes the blood and calms the spirit
延胡索
Yán Hú Suǒ
Corydalis Rhizoma
Yán Hú Suǒ
Corydalis Rhizoma
acrid, bitter, warm
o Invigorates the blood, promotes the movement of qi, and alleviates pain
Popular
*TCM pain reliever.
*Comparison with Yu Jin (curcuma tuber): both have similar actions, but yu jin is cold while yan hu suo is warm.
益母草
Yì Mǔ Cǎo
Leonuri Herba
Chinese motherwort
*Yi Mu Cao (leonurus) means “benefit mother herb”.
Yì Mǔ Cǎo
Leonuri Herba
Chinese motherwort
acrid, bitter, slightly cold
o Invigorates the blood and dispels stasis
o Promotes urination and reduces swelling
o Clears heat and resolves toxicity
紅花
Hóng Huā
Carthami Flos
safflower
Hóng Huā
Carthami Flos
safflower
acrid, warm
o Invigorates the blood, dispels stasis, and unblocks menstruation
*Hong Hua (safflower, carthamus) was often combined with Tao Ren (peach kernel) in later formulas such as tao hong si wu tang.
莪術
É Zhú
Curcumae Rhizoma
É Zhú
Curcumae Rhizoma
bitter, acrid, warm
o Breaks up blood stasis, promotes the movement of qi, and alleviates pain
o Dissolves accumulations and alleviates pain
三棱
Sān Léng
Sparganii Rhizoma
burr reed rhizome
Sān Léng
Sparganii Rhizoma
burr reed rhizome
bitter, acrid, neutral
o Forcefully breaks up blood stasis, promotes the movement of qi, and alleviates pain
o Dissolves accumulations
牛膝
Niú Xī
Achyranthis bidentatae Radix
Niú Xī
Achyranthis bidentatae Radix
bitter, sour, neutral
o Invigorates the blood and dispels blood stasis
o Tonifies the liver and kidneys, strengthens the sinews and bones, and benefits the joints
o Induces the downward movement of blood and fire
o Clears damp-heat in the lower burner
乳香
Rǔ Xiāng
Olibanum
frankincense - mastic
Rǔ Xiāng
Olibanum
frankincense - mastic
acrid, bitter, warm
o Invigorates the blood and promotes the movement of qi
o Relaxes the sinews, invigorates the channels, and alleviates the pain
o Reduces swelling and generates flesh
没藥
Mò Yào
Myrrha
myrrh
Mò Yào
Myrrha
myrrh
bitter, neutral
o Invigorates the blood and dispels blood stasis, reduces swelling, and alleviates pain
o Promotes healing
Ru Xiang (olibanum - frankincense) & Mo Yao (myrrha):
generates flesh and promotes healing
Herbs that warm the interior and expel cold (溫裡祛寒藥)
Fu Zi Gan Jiang Rou Gui Wu Zhu Yu Hua Jiao (Shu Jiao) Gao Liang Jiang
- Many of herbs in this category have been used as spices, such as rou gui (cinnamon bark), gao liang jiang
(galanga) , hua jiao (pepper), ding xiang (clove), and xiao hui xiang (fennel)
肉桂
Ròu Guì
Cinnamomi Cortex
Ròu Guì
Cinnamomi Cortex
acrid, sweet, hot
o Fortifies the kidney and spleen yang, warms the heart yang, and fortifies the yang
o Disperses deep cold, warms the channels, unblocks the channels and vessels, and
alleviates pain
o Leads the fire back to its source
o Encourages the generation of qi and blood
高良薑
Gāo Liáng Jiāng
Alpiniae officinarum Rhizoma
lesser galangal rhizome, galanga
Gāo Liáng Jiāng
Alpiniae officinarum Rhizoma
lesser galangal rhizome, galanga
acrid, hot
o Warms the middle and alleviates pain
*In heart mouth pain in men and women, there are stagnation or parasites in the stomach/esophagus. Often
it is caused by anger and cold, … use gao liang jiang (washed in wine, baked, grinded) and xiang fu zi
(washed in vinegar, baked, grinded).
- Bencao Gangmu
