Herbs That Drain Fire

Question 1

Properties of Herbs that Drain Fire

Answer 1

Taste:
• bitter
• sometimes sweet (moistening)
Temperature:
• cold
Channels:
• LU, ST, HT, LV
Cautions & 
 Contraindications:
• These herbs are cold and bitter; they may damage the Spleen
Main Action:
• Clear heat and drain fire
Other
• These herbs treat Qi level or Yangming level heat, characterized by the Four Bigs - Big Fever, Big Sweat, Big Thirst, Big Pulse

Question 2

List some herbs that Drain Fire?

Answer 2

• shí gāo
• zhī mǔ
• zhī zǐ
• dàn zhú yè
• xià kū cǎo
• xī guā
• tiān huā fēn
• lú gēn
• juē míng zǐ

Question 3

Shí Gāo ***

Answer 3

gypsum fibrosum
Temp: very cold 膏 
Taste: sweet, acrid
Channels: LU, ST
Dosage: 15-60 grams

1. clears heat and drains fire
   • for qi-level or Yang Ming heat characterized by the “Four Great” symptoms: great fever (without chills), great sweat, great thirst, big pulse (rapid, surging)
2. clears excess heat from the Lung
   • for cough with thick, yellow, sticky sputum
3. clears blazing Stomach fire
   • for hunger, thirst, bad breath
   • for headache, toothache, painful gums, mouth sores

Question 4

Zhī Mǔ ***

Answer 4

Know Your Mother Root

Temp: cold
Taste: bitter, sweet
Channels: LU, ST, KI
Dosage: 6-12 grams

1. clears heat and drains fire
   • for high fever, irritability, thirst, rapid flooding pulse 
 (qi-level heat)
2. clears heat from deficiency
   • for heat signs due to Kidney yin deficiency
3. tonifies Kidney yin and moistens 
 dryness

Question 5

Tiān Huā Fēn ***

Answer 5

Snake Gourd Root

Temp: cold
Taste: bitter, slightly sweet
Channels: LU, ST
Dosage: 10-15 grams

1. clears heat from Lung and Stomach
   • for thirst, irritability, cough with thick or blood-streaked phlegm
2. generates body fluids
   • a.k.a. tonifies Lung and Stomach yin
3. resolves toxicity and expels pus
   • for carbuncles and sores with yellow, sticky, 
 foul-smelling pus
   • for breast abscess

Question 6

Lú Gēn **

Answer 6

Reed Root

Temp: cold
Taste: sweet
Channels: LU, ST
Dosage: 15-30 grams

1. clears heat from Lung and Stomach
   • for thirst, irritability, cough with thick or blood-streaked phlegm
2. generates body fluids
   • a.k.a. tonifies Lung and Stomach yin • stronger than Tian Hua Fen
3. promotes urination to treat Lin syndrome • for urgent, scanty, dark, painful urination

Question 7

Dàn Zhú Yè **

Answer 7

Bamboo Leaves and Stem

Temp: cold
Taste: sweet, bland
Channels: HT, SI, ST
Dosage: 6-9 grams

1. clears Heart heat
   • for shen problems (anxiety, irritability, insomnia, palpitations), difficult urination, and mouth sores
2. promotes urination to treat Lin syndrome • for Heart heat pouring into Small Intestine

Question 8

Zhī Zǐ **

Answer 8

Gardenia

Temp: cold
Taste: bitter
Channels: HT, LU, ST, LV, SJ
Dosage: 6-9 grams

1. clears heat and drains fire
   * clears heat from all three jiao; for heat anywhere in the body
   * treats shen disorders due to heat (irritability, insomnia, delirious speech)
2. clears damp-heat
   • for lin syndrome due to damp-heat in the lower-jiao, jaundice
3. cools blood to stop bleeding
   * for nosebleed, vomiting blood, blood in the stool or urine • use charred (Zhi Zi Tan)
4. use topically for injury and trauma

Question 9

Xià Kū Cǎo *

Answer 9

Prunella

Temp: cold
Taste: bitter, acrid
Channels: LV, GB
Dosage: 9-15 grams

1. clears Liver heat and brightens eyes
   • for red, painful, swollen eyes; headache; dizziness
2. clears heat and dissipates nodules
   • for neck lumps, scrofula, goiter, lipoma, or swollen glands
   due to phlegm-heat
3. lowers high blood pressure