Herbs II: Class Nine Flashcards
Shen Calming Herbs Category Description:
Medicinal substances that tranquilize and calm the mind and emotions and are used to address imbalances of the shen (spirit) and emotions. These herbs are divided into two sub-categories: Sedative herbs that treat excess-type shen disturbance, and Nourishing herbs that calm deficient type shen disturbance
Shen Calming Herbs
Sedative Herbs that Calm the Shen
Sub-category Description:
Most of these are minerals and shells whose heavy nature is said to sedate and calm the shen, thus they are more suitable for excess-type shen disturbances
Shen Calming Herbs
Nourishing Herbs that Calm the Shen
Sub-category Description:
Most of these are plant parts with nourishing and tonifying properties, and are most effective for deficient type shen disturbances
Zhu Sha / Cinnabaris
Temperature:
Properties:
Zhu Sha / Cinnabaris
Temperature: Cold
Properties: Sweet, Toxic
Zhu Sha / Cinnabaris
Functions:
- Heavily sedates the Heart and calms the spirit; treats palpitation and insomnia due to various factors
- Clears heat and relieves toxicity; topically used to address skin sores, carbuncles, sore throat, ulceration of mouth and tongue due to toxic heat
Zhu Sha / Cinnabaris
Channels:
Zhu Sha / Cinnabaris
Channels: Heart
Zhu Sha / Cinnabaris
Special Characteristics:
Do not heat to prevent mercury poisoning. Blow into mouth to treat throat.
Hu Po / Succinum
Temperature:
Properties:
Hu Po / Succinum
Temperature: Neutral
Properties: Sweet
Hu Po / Succinum
Functions:
- Heavily sedates startle and calms the shen; addresses tremors, convulsions, epilepsy, insomnia and frightened palpitation
- Invigorates the blood and disperses blood stasis or blood stagnation such as from traumatic injury
- Promotes urination and unblocks Lin
- Reduces swelling and promotes healing; used to treat sores, carbuncles, and ulcers of the skin
Hu Po / Succinum
Channels:
Hu Po / Succinum
Channels: Heart. Liver, Urinary Bladder
Suan Zao Ren / Semen Ziziphi Sinosae
Temperature:
Properties:
Suan Zao Ren / Semen Ziziphi Sinosae
Temperature: Neutral
Properties: Sweet, Sour
Suan Zao Ren / Semen Ziziphi Sinosae
Functions:
- Nourishes the Heart, augments the Liver, and clams the spirit; addresses palpitation and insomnia due to Yin and blood deficiency.
- Inhibits sweating: constitutional deficiency that leads to spontaneous sweating and night sweats
Suan Zao Ren / Semen Ziziphi Sinosae
Channels:
Suan Zao Ren / Semen Ziziphi Sinosae
Channels: Heart, Liver, Gallbladder, Spleen
Suan Zao Ren / Semen Ziziphi Sinosae
Special Characteristics:
Nourishes the Heart Yin and Liver blood
Bai Zi Ren / Semen Platycladi
Temperature:
Properties:
Bai Zi Ren / Semen Platycladi
Temperature: Neutral
Properties: Sweet
Bai Zi Ren / Semen Platycladi
Functions:
- Nourishes the Heart and calms the spirit; addresses irritability, insomnia, poor memory, and frightening palpitations
- Moistens the intestines and unblocks the bowels; treats constipation due to Yin and blood deficiency, or in senile people or postpartum women
Bai Zi Ren / Semen Platycladi
Channels:
Bai Zi Ren / Semen Platycladi
Channels: Heart, Kidney, Large Intestine, Spleen
Bai Zi Ren / Semen Platycladi
Special Characteristics:
Nourishes the yin and enriches the blood
Yuan Zhi / Radix Polygalae
Temperature:
Properties:
Yuan Zhi / Radix Polygalae
Temperature: Slightly Warm
Properties: Acrid, Bitter
Yuan Zhi / Radix Polygalae
Functions:
- Quiets the Heart and calms the spirit; treats palpitation, startle, insomnia, and poor memory
- Expels phlegm and opens the orifices
- Dissipates abscesses and swelling; used to treat boils, sores, carbuncles, swollen and painful breasts
Yuan Zhi / Radix Polygalae
Channels:
Yuan Zhi / Radix Polygalae
Channels: Heart, Lung
Yuan Zhi / Radix Polygalae
Special Characteristics:
Increases production from mucus membrane, making phlegm thinner
Ye Jiao Teng / Caulis Polygoni Multiflori
Temperature:
Properties:
Ye Jiao Teng / Caulis Polygoni Multiflori
Temperature: Neutral
Properties: Sweet, Slightly Bitter
Ye Jiao Teng / Caulis Polygoni Multiflori
Functions:
- Nourishes the Heart and calms the spirit; addresses irritability, excessive dreams, and easy to frighten due to Yin and blood deficiency
- Nourishes the blood and unblocks the channels
- Expels wind and alleviated itching
Ye Jiao Teng / Caulis Polygoni Multiflori
Channels:
Ye Jiao Teng / Caulis Polygoni Multiflori
Channels: Heart, Liver
Ye Jiao Teng / Caulis Polygoni Multiflori
Special Characteristics:
Can decrease blood fat; prevent fatty liver. Can help change the HDL/LDL ratio
He Huan Pi / Cortex Albiziae
Temperature:
Properties:
He Huan Pi / Cortex Albiziae
Temperature: Neutral
Properties: Sweet
He Huan Pi / Cortex Albiziae
Functions:
- Calms the spirit and relieves constraint; treats depression, irritability, and insomnia
- Invigorates the blood; used with traumatic injury and fracture with pain
- Dissipates abscesses
He Huan Pi / Cortex Albiziae
Channels:
He Huan Pi / Cortex Albiziae
Channels: Heart, Liver
He Huan Pi / Cortex Albiziae
Special Characteristics:
More effective for palpitation, insomnia, and shen disturbance
He Huan / Hua Flos Albiziae
Temperature:
Properties:
He Huan / Hua Flos Albiziae
Temperature: Neutral
Properties: Sweet
He Huan / Hua Flos Albiziae
Function:
- Calms the spirit and relieves constraint; used to treat depression and insomnia, it can nourish the Heart, relieve constraint, and calm the spirit
- Regulates the Qi and whet the appetite; addresses Heart and Spleen Qi constraint marked by stifling sensation in the chest and reduced appetite
- Invigorates the blood and alleviates the pain; soreness of lower back and legs, and traumatic injury with pain due to Qi and blood stagnation
He Huan / Hua Flos Albiziae
Channels:
He Huan / Hua Flos Albiziae
Channels: Liver
He Huan / Hua Flos Albiziae
Special Characteristics:
More effective at treating the liver
He Huan Hua
Pharmaceutical Name:
English Name:
Literal Translation:
He Huan Hua
Pharmaceutical Name: Flos Albiziae
English Name: Albizzia Flower
Literal Translation: Collective Happiness Flower
He Huan Pi
Pharmaceutical Name:
English Name:
Literal Translation:
He Huan Pi
Pharmaceutical Name: Cortex Albiziae
English Name: Albizzia Bark
Literal Translation: Collective Happiness Bark
Ye Jiao Teng
Pharmaceutical Name:
English Name:
Literal Translation:
Ye Jiao Teng
Pharmaceutical Name: Caulis Polygoni Multiflori
English Name: Fleeceflower Vine
Literal Translation: Vine of the Night
Yuan Zhi
Pharmaceutical Name:
English Name:
Literal Translation:
Yuan Zhi
Pharmaceutical Name: Radix Polygalae
English Name: Chinese Senega
Literal Translation: Promising Will
Bai Zi Ren
Pharmaceutical Name:
English Name:
Literal Translation:
Bai Zi Ren
Pharmaceutical Name: Semen Platycladi
English Name: Arborvitae Seed
Literal Translation: Cypress Seeds Kernel
Suan Zao Ren
Pharmaceutical Name:
English Name:
Literal Translation:
Suan Zao Ren
Pharmaceutical Name: Semen Ziziphi Sinosae
English Name: Spiny Date Seed
Literal Translation: Sour Date Seeds
Hu Po
Pharmaceutical Name:
English Name:
Literal Translation:
Hu Po
Pharmaceutical Name: Succinum
English Name: Amber
Literal Translation: Amber
Zhu Sha
Pharmaceutical Name:
English Name:
Literal Translation:
Zhu Sha
Pharmaceutical Name: Cinnabaris
English Name: Cinnabar
Literal Translation: Red Sand
