Herbs That Drain Dampness I/II Flashcards
1
Q
Fu Ling
A
- Poria Cocos - Hidden Edge Mushroom
- Channels: HT, SP, LU
- Nature: Sweet, Bland / Neutral
- Dosage:9-15g
- C/CI: Frequent, copius urination due to yang def. (def. cold)
Function Highlights - # 1 for promoting urination, leeching out dampness
- Strengthens SP
- Fu Ling Pi (Peel) - Stronger diuretic, reduces swollen edema
- Fu Shen (Root/Side) - Calms mind-shen
- Chi Fu Ling (red Part) - Clears heat, drain damp
- Bai Fu Ling (White Part) - Strengthens SP
2
Q
Zhu Ling
A
- Polypore Umbellata - Pig Edged Mushroom
- Channels: SP, KD/UB
- Nature: Sweet, Bland/Sl. Cool
- Dosage: 6-15g
- C/CI: For short term use (can damage qi and yin fluids)
Function Highlights - Stronger than Fu Ling to promote urination but does not tonify SP
- Can lower blood pressure
3
Q
Ze Xie
A
- Alismatis Rhizoma - Marsh Drain
- Channels: KD/UB
- Nature: Sweet, Bland/Cold
- Dosage: 6-15g
- C/CI:Spermatorrhea, leukorrhea from KD yang xu (sx - excessive sexual desire, nocturnal sperm emission) or damp cold patterns, MJ sinking
Function Highlights - Settles Minsterial Fire - KD yin xu with blazing fire/damp heat in UB and LJ
- Can lower blood pressure
4
Q
Yi Yi Ren
A
- Coicis Semen - Job’s Tears / “Seeds of Yi”
- Channels: SP, LU, KD
- Nature: Sweet, Bland / Sl. Cold
- Dosage: 9-30g (mild/food herb)
- C/CI: Preganancy (downward draining/moving)
Function Highlights - Eliminates wind/damp bi and painful obstruction
- Expels pus - soft pustulated carbuncles, intestinal/lung abscess
5
Q
Dong Gua Ren (Zi)
A
- Benacasae Semen - Winter Melon Seed
- Channels: LV, LI, ST, SI
- Nature: Sweet/Cold
- Dosage:10-15g
- C/CI: Can cause loose stool
Function Highlghts - Clears Heat, Expels Phlegm, Promotes discharge of pus in either LU or LI - for phlegm heat in the LU w/ cough expectoration of thick, yellow phlegm
- Intestinal abscess and phlegm in UJ or MJ
6
Q
Che Qian Zi
A
- Plantaginis Semen - Plantago Seed / “Before Cart Seed”
- Channels: LV, LU, KD/UB
- Nature: Sweet/Cold
- Dosage: 5-10g - use a coffee filter to avoid fine particle problem in decoction
- C/CI: Yang and qi xu, pregnancy
Function Highlights - Eye Problems - due to LV and KD yin xu or heat in the LV channel
- Lowers blood pressure
7
Q
Sheng Jiang Pi
A
- Pericarpium Zingiberis - Ginger Peel
- Channels: LU, SP/ST
- Nature: Acrid/Cool
- Dosage: 3-10g
Function Highlights - Harmonizes SP/ST
- Promotes urination and reduces edema while mobilizing the exterior (supportive for water just under the skin)
8
Q
Hua Shi
A
- Talcum - Talcum / “Slippery Rock”
- Channels: ST, UB
- Nature: Sweet, Bland/Cold (Slippery )
- Dosage: 10-15g - use coffee filter
- C/CI: Pregnancy (slippery), consumed fluids from warm febrile disease, excessive urination, SP/KD qi xu, spermatorrhea, avoid inhalation
Function Highlights - Important for hot, painful, burning lin
- Clears Summer heat, eliminates dampness
- Topically for damp/damp heat skin lesions (eczema, damp sores, prickly heat)
9
Q
Chia Xiao Dou
A
- Phaseoli Semen - Adzuki Bean / “Dark Red Little Bean”
- Channels: ST, SI
- Nature: Sweet, Sour/Neutral
- Dosage: 10-30g (mild, food herb)
- C/CI: Overdose can induce miscarriage, allergic reactions reported
Function Highlights - Nature is to direct downward - for leg qi/abdominal swelling and fullness
- Disperses blood stasis
- For mild cases of damp-heat jaundice
10
Q
Yu Mi Xu
A
- Maydis Stigma - Corn Silk / “Jade Rice Whiskers”
- Channels: UB, LV/GB
- Nature: Sweet, Bland/Neutral
- Dosage: 15-30g
Function Highlights - Promotes urination - for hot or stony painful lin; standalone herb in large doess for edema due to nephritis
- Clears damp-heat from LV/GB in connection with hepatitis, cholecystitis (GB stones) or cholelithiasis (GB infection)
- Some ability to treat hypertension
11
Q
Ban Bian Lian
A
- Lobelia Chinesis Herba - Lobelia / “Half Side Lily”
- Channels: HT/SI, LU
- Nature: Sweet/ Neutral, Cold
- Dosage: 10-15g (dried), 40-60g (fresh)
- C/CI: Xu patterns, overdose may result in poisoning with sx of salavation, nausea, headache, diarrhea, hypertension (can become fatal if left untreated)
Function Highlights - Cools blood, relieves toxicity - externally: one of the best herbs for snakebites, bee and wasp stings (can also treat internal fire toxicity patterns)
12
Q
Mu Tong
A
- Akebia Caulis - Akebia / “Wood Passage”
- Channels: UB, HT/SI
- Nature: Bitter/Sl. Cold
- Dosage: 3-6g
- C/CI: Pregnancy, yin xu - large doses can lead to KD failure (contains aristocholic acid), DO NOT USE GUAN MU TONG (on banned herb list)
Function Highlights - Promotes urination, drains heat from the HT via SI - sx: irritability with mouth sores and scanty urine (SI heat UTI)
- Promotes lactation
13
Q
Qu Mai
A
- Dianthus Superbus - “Bird Wheat” / Dianthus
- Channels: UB, SI/HT
- Nature: Bitter, Cold
- Dosage:10-15g
- C/CI: Pregnancy (breaks up blood stasis)
Function Highlights - Especially useful for painful bloody lin (damp heat types or bloody lin)
- Breaks up blood stasis - used as auxillary herb for amenorrhea due to blood stasis
Qu Mai + Bian Xu used for bloody lin
14
Q
Bian Xu
A
- Herba Polygoni Avicularis - Knotweed / “Flat Water Container”
- Channels: UB
- Nature: Bitter/Sl Cold
- Dosage: 9-15g
- C/CI: Intended for short term use, long term could injure yuan qi
Function Highlights - Kills parasites, stops itching - damp skin lesions with itching, 3 intestinal parasites from damp heat (Pin, Hook, Ringworm)
Qu Mai + Bian Xu used for bloody lin
15
Q
Di Fu Zi
A
- Kochiae Scorpariae - Broom Cypress / “Earth Skin Seeds”
- Channels: UB
- Nature: Sweet, Bitter/Sl Cold
- Dosage: 10-15g
- C/CI: Allergic reactions reported from oral application
Function Highlights - Clears damp heat accumulation in UB (helper herb)
- Damp skin disorders where itching is a major sx
