Tonify Qi

Question 1

Ren Shen

Answer 1

Warm | Sweet, Sl. Bitter
Spleen-Lung

1. Strongly tonify Primal Qi of 5 Zang
2. Revive Collapse & stops heavy bleeding: Qi collapse after severe vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding, with profuse cold sweats, deep & feeble pulse (+ fu zi = Shen Fu Tang)
3. Tonify Lung: Shortness of breath, spont. sweats, weak pulse d/t Lung Qi Xu
4. Tonify Spleen: Fatigue, poor appetite, abd. distention, diarrhea d/t Spleen Xu
5. Tonify Yin to produce body fluid & ease thirst: Thirst d/t injury of body fluid & Qi
6. Tonify Heart Qi & Calm Shen: restlessness, insomnia with lots of dreams, palpitations, poor memory
7. Improve wisdom

HDI: antidepressants, antidiabetics, caffeine

Dose: cook FIRST separately then add herbs; up to 30g

HHI: li lu, wu ling zhi, lai fu zi

Question 2

Dang Shen

Answer 2

Neutral | Sweet
Spleen-Lung

1. “Substitute for Ren Shen”
2. Tonify Qi & Blood
3. Tonify the Middle Jiao & Spleen qi: poor appetite, loose stool, lassitude d/t Spleen Qi Xu
4. Tonify Lung qi: Weak cough, shortness of breath, weak voice d/t Lung Qi Xu
5. Produce body fluid: Shortness of breath and thirst d/t body fluid injury & Qi in febrile disease
6. Nourish blood: Dizziness, sallow face, palpitations d/t Blood Xu
7. Exterior Wind & Interior Qi Xu

Use 2-3x the dose of Ren Shen

Question 3

Huang Qi

Answer 3

Sl. Warm | Sweet
Spleen-Lung

1. Tonify Qi & Blood
2. Tonify Spleen & Lung Qi: Poor appetite, loose stool, fatigue and shortness of breath due to Lung & Spleen Qi Xu
3. Raise Spleen Yang Qi: prolonged diarrhea, prolapsed rectum & uterus d/t Spleen Qi sinking
4. tonify WEI Qi & protect body surface; stops sweating: spont. sweats d/t Wei Qi Xu
5. Eliminate pathological factors from body surface
6. Promote tissue regen.: unhealed carbuncle and boils with pus d/t Qi & Blood Xu
7. Promote urination to relieve edema: edema with scanty urination d/t Spleen unable to transform & Lung unable to predominate the passages, leading to Retention of Water & Dampness

Dose: up to 30-60 g

Question 4

Bai Zhi

Answer 4

Warm | Bitter, Sweet
Spleen-Stomach

1. Tonify Spleen Qi: epigastric & abdominal distention, poor appetite, fatigue d/t Spleen Qi Xu (Bai Zhu > Cang Zhu)
2. Dries Dampness: edema, difficult urination, cough, nausea, vomiting, dizziness d/t Spleen Xu Damp & Water Retention (Cang Zhu > Bai Zhu)
3. Stop Sweats: sweats d/t Spleen Qi Xu Failure of Wei Qi to control pores on the skin
4. Calm Fetus: Threatened miscarriage d/t Spleen Qi Xu; Restless Fetus d/t Heat = Huang Qin + Bai Zhu + Dang Gui

HDI: antidiabetics, anticoag, antiplatelets

Question 5

Gan Cao

Answer 5

Neutral | Sweet
All 12 esp. Ht-Lu-Sp-St

1. Tonify Spleen Qi: poor appetite, loose stool, fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitation d/t Spleen Xu
2. Moisten Lung & Eliminate Phlegm to Stop Cough: cough, difficulty breathing (Gan Cao + Jie Geng = Sore Throat)
3. Relax muscles to relieve Pain: epi & abd. spasm & pain, limb spasm & pain
4. Clear Heat & clean Toxins: sore throat, carbuncles,boils
5. Coordinate herb actions: mitigates harsh properties of other herbs; guides herbs to 12 primary channels
6. Reduce Side effects of toxic herbs: poisoning from food & herbs by clearing heat & tox,

Zhi Gan Cao: warm to more tonify the Middle Jiao and HT & SP Qi; better able to harmonize other herbs

HDI: digoxin, corticosteroid, assist with drug OD

Question 6

Shan Yao

Answer 6

Neutral | Swt, Sl. Astrngnt
Spleen-Lung-Kidney

1. TONIFY QI & YIN
2. Tonify Spleen Qi & Yin: poor appetite, loose stool d/t Spleen Qi Xu
3. Tonify Lung Qi & Yin: cough, difficult breathing d/t Lung Qi Xu
4. Tonify Kidney Qi & Yin: seminal emission, leucorrhea, frequent urination d/t Kid Qi Xu
5. Stabilizes & secures Essence: thirst, frequent urination d/t Yin Xu
6. Least amount of starch of yams

Dose: up to 60-240 g